266, Lot: 137. Estimate $200. Sold for $475. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope. Circa 410-350 BC. AR Drachm (20mm, 5.91 g, 6h). Head of nymph left, with hair in sakkos decorated with stars and an annulet / Sea eagle on dolphin left. SNG BM Black Sea 1374ff var.; SNG Stancomb 752ff var. VF, toned. An unusual issue, due both to the elaborate sakkos and the lack of control marks or a magistrate’s name. Rare as such.

Some rare drachms without any controls or magistrate’s signature are known (see, for example, SNG BM 1374 and RG 17), but many are of a crude style and may well be barbarous. None appear to have the elaborate sakkos of the present coin.