DYNASTS OF LYCIA. Perikles, circa 380-360 BC. 1/6 Stater (Silver, 12 mm, 1.17 g, 6 h), Wedrẽi. 𐊇𐊁𐊅𐊚𐊇-𐊆𐊚 ('Wedẽwiẽ' in Lycian) Lion right, attacking a bull collapsing to left with upraised head. Rev. 𐊓𐊁𐊕𐊆𐊋𐊍𐊁 ('Perikle' in Lycian) Draped bust of Athena facing three-quarters to left, wearing triple-crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a harpy on the left cheek guard, and with her hair flowing loose; to left, small triskeles. Müseler VIII, 45 (same dies). SNG Copenhagen Supp. 481 (same dies). SNG von Aulock 4247-8 (same dies). Very rare. Beautifully toned and of exceptionally fine style, with wonderful adaptations of the Akanthian and Syracusan prototypes. Very minor porosity and with a small metal flaw on Athena's nose, otherwise, extremely fine.



Lycian artists were particularly susceptible to outside influences - in the case of this beautiful coin, the die cutter copied two of the most influential Classical Greek coin types: the lion of Akanthos on the obverse and the tremendously important facing Athena of Eukleidas from Syracuse on the reverse. The latter had been copied in Lycia before, in the coinage of the dynast Vekhssere II, but on this coin, the ingenious local artist went one step further and created a wholly new image of Athena, who now wears a Corinthian rather than an Attic helmet, which is also decorated with a tiny harpy on the left cheek guard.