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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;TIF, post: 2375123, member: 56859&quot;]I enjoy occasionally buying one of the finest known examples of a rare coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is not such an occasion.</p><p><br /></p><p>While the coin is rare, with only three known to Bodenstedt and perhaps eight examples currently known*, this is the worst example I&#039;ve seen.&nbsp; However, the condition is not dreadful and it cost 90% less that <a href="http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=300400" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=300400" rel="nofollow">the most recently sold example</a>. The condition of my hekte is not 90% worse, so I&#039;m happy to have this interesting little thing <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]486138[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>IONIA, Phokaia</b></p><p>EL hekte, 11 mm, 2.5 gm</p><p>c.&nbsp; 478-387BCE</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; head of young male left, wearing Silenos mask on top of head; to right, small seal downward</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; quadripartite incuse square.</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Bodenstedt Em. 70; SNG von Aulock –; Boston MFA –; BMC 43</p><p><br /></p><p>* Although currently considered rare, with the abundance of electrum coins hitting the market I wonder if it will still be considered rare five years from now.&nbsp; In addition to mine, I&#039;ve found three in archives and one coming up for auction in April.&nbsp; One recent auction listing indicated that a total of five were noted in various archives, plus the three Bodenstedt examples.</p><p><br /></p><p>Turned ninety degrees counterclockwise, you can see Silenos quite clearly:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]486139[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I have a soft spot for <a href="http://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Seilenos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Seilenos.html" rel="nofollow">Silenos</a> (genial drunk and foster-father of Dionysos) since <a href="http://www.tifcollection.com/#!corinthia-corinth--ar-stater/cydn" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.tifcollection.com/#!corinthia-corinth--ar-stater/cydn" rel="nofollow">my first &quot;big&quot; coin purchase</a> had a control mark of Silenos, who looks remarkably like drunk Nick Nolte on that particular coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>I wonder if the engraver intended this as a type of optical illusion.&nbsp; I had my eye on another type of illusion coin this month but didn&#039;t even get a bid in.&nbsp; That dream coin was estimated very low (1000 EUR) and hammered at 12x estimate, manyfold higher than I wanted to pay.&nbsp; It exceeded my max before it even hit the block.&nbsp; [<a href="https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?lot=237&amp;p=lot&amp;sid=1405" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?lot=237&amp;p=lot&amp;sid=1405" rel="nofollow">here&#039;s that coin</a> <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />]</p><p><br /></p><p>Do you have any interesting electrum coins or coins which have some type of gimmick or illusion?&nbsp; Let&#039;s see &#039;em![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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