354, Lot: 174. Estimate $500. Sold for $500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LYCIA, Telmessos. Late 5th-early 4th centuries BC. AR Stater (21mm, 8.10 g, 7h). Helemeted head of Athena right; letters or symbols to right / Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin, within incuse square. Unpublished in the standard references. VF, lightly toned, struck from worn obverse die.

Athena / Herakles type staters are fairly common among the coins of Erbbina and Kherei, but are always accompanied by their name in the margins of the reverse. Those issues, though, are also often marked with the ethnic of the city of Telmessos, so it is possible that this coin is a civic issue of Telmessos contemporary to the staters of either dynast. It is also unusual for letters to appear in the field before the face of Athena; usually they are placed behind her neck guard. They may indicate the issuer, but are unclear on this coin.