KYRENAICA. Kyrene. Circa 490-475 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 12 mm, 1.80 g), Attic standard. Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue; above, Silphion fruit with point upward. Rev. Octopus within incuse square. BMC -. Boston MFA -. Buttrey -. Obolos 36 (2025), 552. Obolos 38 (2025), 368. SNG Copenhagen -. Extremely rare. Somewhat rough and with traces of corrosion and cleaning, otherwise, good fine.



The obverse motif of this extremely rare hemidrachm 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.