Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;AncientJoe, post: 1923965, member: 44357&quot;]This coin is a considerable upgrade to a previous example I owned. I bought it from the most recent Roma auction at considerably more than I thought it would go for, but didn&#039;t want to let it go and miss the opportunity to own it. This coin was part of the Jacob K. Stein collection, a great collection of 182 ancient coins displayed at the Cincinnati Art Museum for 12 years between 1996 and 2008.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/y342/AncientJoe/Sikyon_zpscb5c6ca4.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Sikyon AR Stater. Circa 350-330 BC. Chimaera, with lion&#039;s body and goat forepart rising from back, advancing left, right paw raised, SE below, wreath above / Dove flying left, N below beak; all within laurel wreath BMC Peloponnesus 57-58. ACGC 306. Cf. Traite III 776; SNG Copenhagen 48; BCD 218. 12.25g, 24mm, 2h. Perfectly centered, struck on a large flan, and magnificently toned with exquisite violet highlights. Superb Extremely Fine.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Displayed at Cincinnati Art Museum, 1996-2008, no. 49. Acquired from Harlan J. Berk, July 1988.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Sikyon was located 11 miles northwest of Corinth in the northern Peloponnesus. Sicyon was known in antiquity for its industries including wood sculpture, bronze work, andpottery. Its central location meant it was frequently involved in the wars of its neighbors, Thebes, Corinth, Athens and Sparta. It was the main mint for the anti-Athenian states in the Peloponnesian war and issued a substantial number of coins, most of which were melted down to finance further conquests.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sikyon was the cradle of western art, credited with originating tragedy in theater, the modern art of painting as it still stands today, and the invention of using multiple instruments arranged orchestrally. The great sculptors Polykleitos and Lysippos both studied at the famous in Sikyon.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin comes from an issue of staters produced at Sikyon after Alexander’s appeal for mercenaries from the Peloponnese in 334 BC. They seemed to have been paid out as a signing bonus and then buried for safe-keeping. Unfortunately, many of these mercenaries never came back, explaining why many coins of this type still exist today and were never melted down.</p><p><br /></p><p>The coin depicts a chimera, a mythical, fire-breathing monster composed of parts of three animals: a lion with the head of a goat arising from its back and a tail that ends in a snake’s head, walking proudly to the left in an almost heraldic manner. According to Greek mythology, the chimera was slain by Bellerophon with Apollo’s help, and appeared on most of the major coinage of Sikyon. A dove is also depicted, representing the main emblem of the city and a symbol of spirit.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in