KYRENAICA. Kyrene. Circa 500-480 BC. Obol (Silver, 8 mm, 0.85 g), Attic standard. Silphion fruit. Rev. Incuse square divided by intersecting thin lines. BMC -, cf. p. xxi, 5a and pl. II, 6 (drachm). Boston MFA -. Buttrey -. SNG Copenhagen -. Apparently unpublished with this very unusual reverse design in the form of two superimposed A's. Beautifully toned and struck on unusual good metal. Very light deposits and minor flan faults, otherwise, extremely fine.



The range of reverse-incuse designs encountered in the early coinage of Cyrene is truly remarkable. One encounters simple incusa, quadripartite incuse squares, incusa with irregular subdivisions, triangular forms, and numerous other variants. This obol exhibits a particularly innovative composition: a rectangular incuse traversed by five lines arranged to form the shape of two superimposed A’s.