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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 
354, Lot: 206. Estimate $100.
Sold for $180. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SYRIA, Seleukis and Pieria. Laodicea ad Mare (as Julia Laodicea). Autonomous issues. 1st century BC. Æ (18mm, 3.99 g). [Dated CY 3 or 4 (46/5 or 45/4 BC)]. [Head of Dionysos right] recarved into lion leaping over bull / Scorpion; [date to left]. RPC I 4415 or 4416. VF, brown patina, obverse recarved.


The obverse on this curious piece, initially struck as a head of Dionysos, appears to have been recarved in antiquity to depict a lion leaping over a bull. This is a common motif frequently seen in near eastern art, appearing on coinage at Tarsos and Byblos in the Persian period, but extremely rare to be seen carved into a coin.