I thought this would be easy, but I am having trouble figuring out this small Greek (presumably) AE. Poor condition is not helping matters, but I can't even get close. The obverse (?) seems to be a horse and (rider?). The reverse (?) is a lion crouching or standing right. Or a lioness? I am not sure if I am seeing nipples or fur (my lion identification skills are pretty poor). Also, I am not sure whether or not somebody is riding the lion? It is 16 mm and weighs 3.85 grams. It is slightly concave, like so many issues from Macedon. Any help much appreciated as always.
Maybe it's neither lion nor griffin. Does that look like a goat coming out of the back of the lion? I think it may be! It's a chimaera! And the horse... is that a rider or are those wings? Or both? I think it's Pegasos . Examples on ACsearch https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2091474 AKARNANIA. Leukas. Ae (4th century BC). Obv: Bellerophon on Pegasos flying right . Rev: ΛEYKA. Chimaera standing right. BCD Akarnania 243; SNG Copenhagen 307. Condition: Very fine. Weight: 4.16 g. Diameter: 18 mm.
That's a good suggestion - I hadn't thought of that. It would explain the thing coming off the back - thanks! I am going to keep looking.
Wow. I wasn't even close, was I? Thanks TIF. That sure looks like a chimera and a Pegasus...now that you point it out. My first chimera and my first Bellerophon! Funny how I like coins even more once I know what they are. Thanks again for your help. And my apologies to all the lions in the world for my misinterpretation.
It's a supercool type of coin! Neato! I don't have any coins depicting Bellerophon. Boo hoo hoo I thought it was a lion too, at first, but then the chimaera clicked.
Thank you all for you assistance and comments - I am quite excited about my first chimaera. Way to go TIF for spotting a goat's head sprouting off the back of a lion - they can never accuse ancient coin collectors of lacking vivid imaginations! Here is a somewhat better (?) photo and my best effort at attribution (there are several types like this, with the condition of mine making it hard to nail down entirely, since the inscription is worn off entirely): Leukas, Akarnania Æ 16 (c. 350-330 B.C.) Bellerophon on Pegasos flying right / [ΛEYKA?], chimaera right in the style of Homer (head of lion, goat's head rising from middle of back, snake for tail); (no trident below). cf. BCD Akarnania 243; SNG Copenhagen 307. (3.87 grams / 16 mm) It came in an undescribed lot off eBay - that's a Kyme forepart of a horse/cup and a Philip II Apollo/horse & boy from Macedon with it - seller's photos. It was a gamble bid - I win some I lose some:
