eAuction #37 - closed




Lot 13. Methydrion AE Dichalkon

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Ex BCD and British Museum
Methydrion AE Dichalkon

Time left:
Bidding closed (Sunday, May 17th, 19:06:30 CEST)
Current time: Friday, November 22nd, 08:17:14 CET

Price realised: CHF 2'400.00 (6 bids)
Approx. EUR 2'578.04 / USD 2'717.35 / GBP 2'149.76

High bidder: Bidder 1

eAuction #37, Lot 13. Estimate: CHF 2'500.00

Methydrion, Peloponnesos. AE Dichalkon (18 mm, 3.81 g), c. 360s-340s BC.
Obv. Laureate head of Zeus right.
Rev. MEΘYΔPIEΩN, Kallisto, in human form, seated to left but falling backwards her two arms outstretched, pierced by an arrow shot by Artemis; on the ground at her side, the new-born Arkas, lying on his back, waving his arms.
HN p. 451. LIMC, Sv. Arkas 5 = MG p. 200, 244, pl. E, 9 (same reverse die); Svoronos 1914, pl. XI, 1 (this coin); BCD Peloponnesos 1572 (this coin).

Extremely rare and with an impressive pedigree. The best of only four specimens offered in the past 15 years. Nice green patina and very fine.

From the BCD collection, acquired in exchange from the British Museum in January 1979; ex LHS 96 (2006), 1572.

The coinage of the tiny city of Methydrion is among the rarest of the Peloponnesos. The reverse portrays a version of the myth of Kallisto in which she is killed by Artemis while in human form, and not after being transformed into a bear. The infant Arkas lies at her side just before Zeus’ messenger Hermes rescues him and brings him to the goddess Maia to be brought up on Mt. Kyllene.



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