When I got home I had an email from CNG that I had actually won two lots. The other I'll post in the world coin forum. I got badly outbid on several other electrum pieces so I either got lucky, or badly overpaid for this one. However it has two things I love, it's a Lesbian coin, and it has a cow, two actually. LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 454-428/7 BC. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater (10.5mm, 2.51 g, 7h). Bearded head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath / Confronted calf heads; palmette above; all within incuse square. Bodenstedt Em. 50; HGC 6, 976 corr. (palmette not always present). Good VF, slightly soft strike. The coins of Bodenstedt emission 50 are of two varieties, with or without the palmette on reverse. Both types are rare, each being struck from only one reverse die. This coin is one of 2-3 known of the palmette variety that were struck before a significant die break developed on the reverse at 6 o’clock.
Congratulations. From what I've been reading on another thread, you got lucky getting the coins you wanted. This is a marvelous coin. What a great reverse.
A great work of classical art (two, actually) in excellent condition, not larger than the nail on my finger.
Sweet!! Wow, JeffM => that is a very cool coin (congrats on scoring that wonderful example) Here is my only El Hekte example ... LESBOS, Mytilene. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater Circa 478-455 BC Diameter: 10 mm Weight: 2.48 grams Obverse: Ram’s head right Reverse: Incuse bull’s head right Reference: Bodenstedt Em. 27; HGC 6, 954
There are a lot of these little electrums on the market now but the two shown in this thread are far above average in my opinion. I really like the 2 cows and the incuse. Many of these have centering problems and the small, globular flans can easily loose important detail or just look poorly balanced. Congratulations on a good win.
@JeffM-Houston ...Gorgeous OP coin, well struck, centered, neat features. The Palmette between the Calf heads is a really "natural" detail in the design. NICE capture!
