There is a lot happening on this coin, considering it's only 12 mm wide. I'll break it up into sections. Obverse: It's obviously double struck, with the second strike being heavier toward the bottom of the coin. You can see the faint double strike among the chin and an offset strike on most of the neck. Question 1: Is the crack on the nose due to the 2nd strike, a crack in the patina, or a die crack? Question 2: On the left facing head, there is a fairly large obtrusion (considering coin size) sticking up off the chin. Is this a die error, or again, a result from the 2nd strike pushing the metal from the bottom of the chin, up? Question 3: Considering the surfaces are close to extremely fine in condition, is it safe to assume that the indent on the eye brow of the left head is a die error? Reverse: CNG described the critter in right field as a Bee (or fly.) What do you guys think? I'm leaning toward fly on this one. The coin has a great amount of detail for the size. MYSIA, Lampsakos. 4th-3rd centuries BC. AR Diobol (12mm, 1.25 g, 1h). Janiform female heads / Helmeted head of Athena right; bee (or fly) to right. ΛA above, M to right. Baldwin, Lampsakos, Group B, Type 1, 19; SNG France 1190 I'm assuming that the ΛA and M or "LAM" is an abbreviation for Lampsakos. Post 'em. -Michael
Beautiful and interesting coin, but I can't answer your questions other than I think the critter is a fly.
I think it looks like a fly but voted "Some rare, elusive, flying critter that TIF will somehow find and make us all 2nd guess ourselves"
I'm going with Jeff Goldblum fly. The critter's abdomen is too short to be a bee. Although, if a bee's abdomen is flexed, when viewed from above it would appear shortened... Hmm. There is one in acsearch which more clearly resembles a bee and is described as such. The rest look like flies; some are called bees and some are called flies-- small sample size though. BTW, Heritage sold your coin between the two CNG sales. The Heritage listing notes that it is "from the Cameron Morgan collection". Maybe it's similar to me calling my coins "TIF collection" (i.e., just a vanity thing); maybe he's someone I should know but don't.
I am not quite convinced about how to answer your questions. All three seem to be one and the same reason. Die crack perhaps? :/ Reverse, well..it certainly looks like a fly, but what does a fly mean to ancient greeks? Dunno. However, bee is a symbol of wealth and prosperity, which Lampsakos certainly was back then (even under athenian rule). Plus, Ephesus was near, and they used to worship bees. Don´t think it would be too far fetched to think it was an Asia minor thing.
Wow iamtiberius => that's a gorgeous new addition!! (I'm super jealous of that sweet "fly" example ...
