Nomos 35

CYPRUS. Kition. Uncertain King, 5th century BC. Stater (Silver, 23 mm, 9.89 g, 11 h), struck under the hitherto unknown king "Poro... or Pro...". Herakles advancing to right, his lion's skin hanging over his shoulder, brandishing his club with his right hand and holding his bow with his left. Rev. po-ro (in Cypriot syllabic script) Lion advancing to right, his head turned to face the viewer; above, star in globe. E. T. Newell, 'Some Unpublished Coins of Eastern Dynasts', NNM 30, 1926, 1 (tentatively attributed to Melekiathon). Struck from the same dies as Leu 20, 1978, 148 (hammered in 2019 for 34,000 CHF), and Künker 376, 2022, 4782 (an inferior piece that sold for € 10,000). Extremely rare, especially in this fine condition. A fascinating coin with a dark patina as found. Somewhat porous, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From a European collection, ex Lanz 54, 12 November 1990, 266.

There are two interesting stylistic details about this very rare coin, which are well-worth noting. On the obverse, while Herakles holds his club with his right hand, the engraver has shown him do it behind his head since he did not wish to cover the hero's face if he did it correctly! On the reverse, the facing lion's head should remind us of those creatures on Corinthian and Rhodian painted pottery.

Although this issue has been assigned to Melekiathon - an attribution that a few cataloguers tend to follow -, this has to be wrong. On this coin we are able to clearly read the Cypro-syllabic script, and it is certain that it is not referring to Melekiathon. The history of the Cypriot kingdoms is so fascinating.