All about the Birds and the Beasts

Okay, I'm not really going to tell you about the birds and the beasts, but I do have three nice coins of Sikyon to share - four birds and two beasts in all .

It's been on my list for some years now, but it was only two weeks ago that I found the Sikyon stater for me. Along the way, I also picked up two of the smaller denominations, a hemidrachm and drachm. I post them below in the order I purchased them, all in the past two months.

First up, a double-dove drachm...


SIKYONIA, Sikyon
AR Drachm
5.03g, 18mm
Circa 431-400 BC
BCD Peloponnesos 180-4; HGC 5, 206.
O: Dove alighting left; S-E flanking.
R: Dove flying left within wreath.
Ex BCD Collection

My next purchase was a hemidrachm, a fairly small coin, but one with a lovely bluish tone and a fairly decent 'beast' to boot.


SIKYONIA, Sikyon
AR Hemidrachm
2.62g, 15.3mm
Circa 330-280 BC
BCD 284; SNG Copenhagen 57; BMC 111.
O: Chimaera advancing left; SI below.
R: Dove flying left.

And finally, the big kahuna... this is a heavy, beautiful coin with an iconic design, and in hand you can really appreciate why the Sikyon stater so well deserves its popularity with collectors of Greek coins. I'm really v̶e̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶v̶e̶r̶y̶ ridiculously pleased with mine .


SIKYONIA, Sikyon
AR Stater
11.95g, 24mm
Circa 431-400 BC
BCD Peloponnesos 186; HGC 5, 181.
O: Chimaera standing left; SE below.
R: Dove flying left within wreath.
Ex BCD Collection
Ex Joseph J. Copeland Collection

Please do feel free to share your coins of Sikyon... I know there are some excellent ones out there!

 

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Here are the three coins again on a virtual tray for size comparison.



And for those who may feel cheated about the whole birds and beasts thing, I provide this link below to AJ's page, where he says it better than I ever could:
http://www.colosseocollection.com/p444364358/hef402e2#hef402e2

 

Wonderful coins you picked up Z!

 

Lovely additions, especially the Stater.

I just have this.


SIKYONIA, Sikyon (400 - 350 B.C.)
AR Hemidrachm
O: Chimaera walking left; SI
R: Dove flying left.
2.48g
16mm
SNG Copenhagen 57; Dewing 1834

 

You just couldn't make up your mind, could you? They're all worthy in their own way. The older version of the stater is quite nice-- especially since you can see the serpent's head-- and I think those are less common that the one I and many others have.

I'd like to get one or two of the other denominations and styles. In particular, an AR fractional with flying dove on both sides is on The List, along with a chimera hemidrachm or drachm.


SIKYONIA, Sikyon
335-330 BCE
AR stater, 23 mm, 12.3 gm
Obv: Chimera standing left; wreath above, ΣE below
Rev: Dove flying left; A to left; all within wreath
Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 220; Traité III 775, pl. CCXX, 11
CNG 342, from the "collection of a Southern Pathologist, purchased from C.H. Wolfe, 3 May 1989"

 

Beautiful trio!

 

I don't think I've seen such bold die polishing lines on an ancient coin before.

 

I'd prefer to not have them, but the rest of the coin is very nice and the price was right .

 

Well each to his own, but I think they're positively marvelous!

 

Wonderful examples 'Z' ...and what can you say about TIF's stater

My entry into that area will have to wait until about January

 

I'd love to have one in your style as well, and would also love to read some serious numismatic research done on why your chimaera appears to be a dude and mine a chick.

 

all lovely Z! i dig that blue tone on the hemidrachm, i thought it was AE when i first saw it. nice tray pic also!

a dove of sikyon is on the list!

 

only This Bird.

 

Nice threesome Z. I only have the one.

 

The snake head is nice & clear on Zumbly's stater!!! Here is mine without a head:

SIKYONIA, Sikyon
AR Stater
335-330 BC
11.94 grams, 23.2 mm
Obv: Chimera advancing left, paw raised, wreath above, ΣΕ below.
Rev: Dove flying left, I left, all within olive wreath.
Grade: a gVF nicely toned coin.
Other: Sikyon mint. BCD Peloponnesos 219, Traité III 776, BCD Peloponnesos pg 40, 56. SNG Cop 48 var (N instead of I). Ex CNG auction 312 lot 88 originating from a 1930’s collection.

 

Now there are 3 coins I could use to start building some sort of ancient set with!

 

Thanks for the coinpliments, friends, and for sharing your Sikyon examples.

The snake head was definitely one of the main reasons why I liked this one. I find yours to be very appealing as well!

 

Holy smokes, Z-Bro => I just found this thread now, otherwise I would have asked the moderators to toss this baby onto the fricken homepage!! (I like you)

=> those are three fantastic Greek winners!! (nicely done => 3 at a time, eh?)

Ummm, as you may know, I have a humble example as well ...



... your new additions are all very nice (great snake-tail on your Stater)

 

Thanks! I suspect your engraver really took to birds... he really pulled out the stops for that dove.