home
current auction
past auctions
auction 6
auction 5
auction 4
auction 3
auction 2
auction 1
webshop
registration
about us
press releases
contact
terms of use
Finest Quality Ancient Greek, Roman & Byzantine Coins
Renaissance & 17th Century Dutch Medals
Auctions & Private Treaty Sales
auction 1
6. May 2009, 2:00 PM
The Widder Hotel, Zürich
online bidding closed
Go to Lot:
back to overview
previous page
next page
up/down to change overview
Lot: 94
Estimate: 52500 CHF
Realized: 56000 CHF
Magnifier
on
off
MYSIA, Lampsakos. Circa 360.
Stater (Gold, 8.41 g 12). Veiled head of Demeter to left, wearing a wreath of lotus flowers, pendant earring and a pearl necklace
Rev.
Forepart of winged horse to right. Baldwin,
Lampsakos
16. BMC 27. SNG France 1157 = Traité II, 2544. Extremely rare and with a splendid and serene head of the goddess. Some minor marks,
otherwise
, extremely fine.
This is one of the rarest of all the gold staters of Lampsakos - Paris is the only major collection to have an example (the one in London is plated). While Demeter appears on coins from many ancient Greek mints, the lotus crown she wears on this one is not what she usually wears. This probably means that this exceptionally beautiful head was copied from a specific cult statue that would have been known to the ancient viewer. Demeter was, of course, the goddess of grain and fertility, the Roman Ceres.