KYRENAICA. Kyrene. Circa 525-480 BC. Didrachm (Silver, 17 mm, 8.48 g, 6 h), Attic standard. Silphion plant with two pairs of leaves and fruits; in fields to left and right, single fruits.
Rev. Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue within pelleted square within incuse square. BMC p. XXV, 17d and pl. IV, 2. BMFA -. SNG Copenhagen -. The New York Sale XXXII (2014), 189 (
same dies). Extremely rare. A beautifully toned piece of charming archaic style. Light marks
, otherwise, very fine.
From a Swiss collection, formed before 2005.
The reverse motif of this extremely rare didrachm from Kyrene appears to draw from Athenian prototypes, where the Gorgon first appeared around 515-510 BC on tetradrachms, didrachms, and smaller denominations of the 'Wappenmünzen' series. Adopting from Athens, Kyrene also embraced the Attic weight standard, later supplemented and replaced by the so-called 'Asiatic' standard. This standard likely originated from a one-fifth denomination of the Attic tetradrachm, which then became a light drachm (see lot 165 below), resulting in an 'Asiatic' tetradrachm weighing around 13.2 grams.
