PAMPHYLIA. Aspendos. Circa 330/25-300/250 BC. Stater (Silver, 24 mm, 10.47 g, 11 h). Two nude wrestlers, standing and grappling with each other; between them, ΠΟ. Rev. ΕΣΤFEΔΙIΥ Slinger standing to right; before, forepart of a horse to right above spear head. BMFA 2101. SNG Paris 110-4 (different secondary symbol). Tekin Series 5. An attractive coin with a lovely reverse. Slightly brushed and the obverse struck from a somewhat worn die, otherwise, good very fine.


This piece belongs to the the last of Tekin's series of staters from Aspendos, which are often characterized by a circular dotted border on the reverse as opposed to a square, and always have a subsidiary symbol on the reverse. Staters of Series 5 are also typically a bit crude, as the style devolved significantly during the several decades that they were struck. Fortunately, this is not the case with this lovely coin, the dies of which were finely engraved by an artist of some talent.