Greece - Thrace - Abdera - Autonomous Coinage - Didrachm > Lot No. 013

Description:
540-535 BC. Obv: griffin seated left on groundline, curved wing, right foreleg raised (?) with no legend. Rev: quadripartite incuse square with no legend. Extremely rare as didrachm.

Measurements:
7.83 grams.

Condition:
About very fine.

References:
Not listed in standard references; (cf. Sear 1533 var.); see Wildwinds.com (this coin and the CNG example).

Comments notes:
Didrachms are very rare. May lists only three in his corpus, CNG sold another similar (with griffin having a smooth wing and a feathered breast) 5 years ago (CNG 69, Lot: 230, described as unique and realised $2,000 plus premiums; also ex CNG 55, lot 55). From the weight this can only be a didrachm and the fact that it is facing left limits it to Abdera.

Estimate: £500 - 700 (EUR 600 - 840; USD 790 - 1,110)

Auction date: Friday 19th March 2010 at The Swedenborg Hall 20-21 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2TH