Extremely Rare Published Antikyra Bronze
PHOKIS, Antikyra. Circa 210 BC (or
temp. Hadrian, AD 117-138). Æ (23mm, 7.44 g, 6h). Bust of Poseidon right; trident over shoulder / ANTIKY down left, PEΩN up right, Artemis Phosphorus, quiver over shoulder, advancing right, holding torch; at feet to right, hound right. RPC (forthcoming) 536.4 = BCD Lokris 367 (this coin); A. Corso, “Prassitele: l’arte dell’ideale,’
QT XXVII (1998), p. 416 and fig. 62 = NCP, p. 124 and pl. Y, XVII = ZfN VI (1879), p. 15 (rev. only illustrated);
RN 13 (1843), pp. 247-9 and pl. X, 3; H.P. Borrell, “Unedited autonomous and imperial Greek coins,”
NC VI (1844), p. 124 corr. (ANTIKYPIEΩN). Near VF, brown patina. Possibly fifth example known and the only one in private hands.
Ex BCD Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 55, 8 October 2010), lot 367.
The specimen cited in Revue Numismatique is now in the BN, while the one cited in Zeitschrift für Numismatik is in Berlin. A third example, also in Berlin, came from an apparently unpublished hoard, found in Corinth. The fourth specimen, noted by Borrrell, was formerly in the possession of one Etienne Garreri of Smyrna; the coin subsequently passed to Rev. Fr. V.J. Arundel, British Chaplain of Smyrna, and was never seen again (thus, the possibility that the BCD coin is the Arundel coin, and, thereby, the fourth, rather than fifth, known).
A debate has arisen about when this coin was struck, with alternate dates suggested, based on the coin’s fabric. In his note on this coin, BCD suggested a date of 210 BC, since the coin’s beveled flan is very similar to contemporary Ptolemaic bronze issues, and would fit with Ptolemaic involvement in Greek affairs and the recovery of Antikyra from the Romans.
Also citing the coin’s particular fabric and noting that contemporary Corinthian bronzes possessed a similar beveled flan and centering hole, Michel Amandry, in the forthcoming volume of RPC, has suggested this issue may more likely belong to the time of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Either way, until further, more definitive evidence can be found, both possible dates have been listed here.
