Sale: Nomos 2, Lot: 120. Estimate CHF10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 17 May 2010.  Sold For CHF8000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SATRAPS of CARIA. Maussolos. Circa 377/6-353/2 BC. Tetradrachm (15.32 g 12). Laureate head of Apollo facing, turned slightly to right and wearing a cloak fastened with a gem below his chin. Rev. ΜΑΥΣΣΩΛΛ[Ο] Zeus Labraundos standing right, holding labrys (double-axe) in his right hand and long scepter in his left; below, between his legs and the scepter, Α. BMC 3 (same dies). Traité II 94. Rare. Lightly toned - a particularly appealing coin with a lovely and serene head of Apollo and an unusually expressive head of Zeus on the reverse. Slightly flat struck on the reverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.

From the Patrick H. C. Tan Collection, ex Nomos FPL 1, Winter/Spring 2008, 55.

This coin has an astonishingly appealing head of Apollo: he is nothing like those found on contemporary issues of Rhodes, though he shares the emotionalism so characteristic of the art of the period. What is perhaps even more impressive is the skill with which the engraver handled the relatively tiny head of Zeus on the reverse - in itself it is a miniature of real power.