WESTERN ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. Circa 550-500 BC. Hekte (Silver, 11 mm, 2.10 g). Facing head of a panther. Rev. Rough square incuse. CNG 41 (1997), 536 ('Lesbos'). HGC -. Naumann 77 (2019), 34 ('Pantikapaion'). Very rare. Some pitting, otherwise, very fine.


CNG's assignment of this lovely hekte (or diobol?) to Lesbos is a reasonable suggestion, but perhaps too narrow, as similar facing panthers occur throughout western Asia Minor, and even on early hektai from Kyzikos. The coin is certainly not from Pantikapaion, however