I picked up this little gaffer, while doing weights this morning. From Nomos Auction.... cute seal. EL Myshemihekte ND struck 625-600BC Phokaia Mint 6.5mm. 0.53g. .460 Obverse: Head of Seal/ with Ball in mouth Reverse: Quadripartite Incuse Square Ionia/ Phokaia Ex: Trausnitz Coll. Bodenstedt 2.1 Var. Rosen 328 SNG Von Aulock 7774
"with ball in mouth" lol I think the cataloguer was a bit topsy turvy... If you check a bit around there are fractions of phokaia with a clear head of a seal. This one looks more like a lion and is usually catalogued ionian uncertain...a more complete example is this one
You make a lot of sense, it looks like a lion! I also have a EL 1/24 Stater from Phokaia "Seal Head" acquired from Leu a month ago....what do you think...I hope its a lion now.
I think Roman Collector got it right/ looks like a squirrel/ chipmunk. Back to reality/ another book says its a "steer" head. But, that seems far fetched. Maybe when I get my new book this Jan. on electrum coinage, the question will be answered.
