321, Lot: 166. Estimate $100. Sold for $360. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ASIA MINOR, Uncertain. 5th century BC. AR Obol (10mm, 0.66 g, 12h). Gorgoneion / Gorgoneion within concave circle. CNG E-174, lot 69 (Samaria), otherwise unpublished. VF, toned.

Ex Münzen und Medaillen AG FPL 365 (March 1975), no. 18 (Selge?).

Although the CNG E-174 coin was cataloged as Samaria, that attribution is doubtful. Both that and the present piece have the same style, with the obverse gorgoneion having three bands of tightly curled hair, and the reverse gorgoneion having a single band of larger curls. The dies of the previous coin were somewhat degraded, such that the style of the piece appeared crude and thus an attribution to Samaria was reasonable. The present piece, struck from relatively fresh dies, exhibits a very refined style that is not consistent with Samarian issues featuring a gorgoneion, but is more in common with issues in western and southern Asia minor.