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TRITON XVI In Conjunction with the 41st Annual New York International January 8-9, 2013 TRITON XVI In Conjunction with the 41st Annual New York International Numismatic Convention January 8-9, 2013 North Suite, 18th Floor Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue, New York Featuring: The Chiltern and RCM Collections of Ancient Coinage The Alex Shubs Collection of Coinage of the Western Black Sea Region A Demareteion Tetradrachm and Six Dekadrachms of Syracuse A ‘Porus’ Dekadrachm of Alexander the Great from the Hunt Collection Further Selections from the BCD Collection of the Coins of Thessaly A Stater of the Seleukid Usurper Andragoras The Goldman Collection of Roman Imperatorial Coinage The Rarest Gold Issue of Vespasian’s Judaea Capta Coinage Medallion of Severus Alexander – Conversion of the Elagabalium Silver Medallion of Constantine I from the Feirstein Collection Very Rare Artavasdus Gold Nomisma An Extremely Rare Gold Maravedi of Alfonso IX A Gold Unite of Charles I from the Ryan Collection One of the Finest Proof Pattern Gold Broads of Oliver Cromwell Presented by: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. United States Office: London Office: Post Office Box 479, Lancaster, PA 17608-0479 14 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4PP, U.K. Tel: (717) 390-9194 Fax: (717) 390-9978 Tel: +44 (20) 7495 1888 Fax: +44 (20) 7499 5916 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cngcoins.com Grading Conditions English Deutsch Français Italiano Proof Polierte Platte Flan Bruni Fondo Specchio Mint State/Uncirculated Stempelglanz Fleur de Coin Fior di Conio Extremely Fine (EF) Vorzüglich Superbe Splendido Very Fine (VF) Sehr Schön Très Beau Bellissimo Fine Schön Beau Molto Bello Good/Fair Gut Bien Bello Common Abbreviations AD Anno Domini BE Bithynio-Pontic Era IY Indictional Year Æ Bronze BI Billon MBS Mail Bid Sale AE Actian Era CE Common Era mm Mintmark AH Anno Hegirae Cf. Confer (compare) PB Lead AR Silver c/m Countermark p. Page AV Gold CY Civic Year (Era) pl. Plate BBS Buy or Bid Sale EL Electrum RPE Roman Provincial Era BC Before Christ FPL Fixed Price List RY Regnal Year BCE Before the Common Era g Gram SE Seleukid Era See Bibliography on our website, www.cngcoins.com, for a complete list of reference abbreviations. Production Staff Senior Directors: Victor England, Jr. (U.S.) Eric J. McFadden (U.K.) Senior Numismatist: Bradley R. Nelson Numismatists (U.S.): D. Scott VanHorn Kenneth McDevitt Jeremy A. Bostwick Jeffrey B. Rill Bill Dalzell Numismatists (U.K.): Max Tursi David Guest Julia Trocmé-Latter Controller: Cathy England Lancaster Office Manager: Karen Zander London Office Manager: Alexandra Spyra West Coast Representative: Dr. Larry Adams Office Staff: Dawn Ahlgren Dale Tatro Accounting: Tina Jordan (U.K.) Photography & Design: Travis A. Markel Jessica Garloff Printing Control: Robert A. Trimble IT Consultant: A.J. Gatlin Auctioneer: Herbert L. Kreindler (License No. 820339) Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. is a United States limited company. United Kingdom Registration No. FC18173, Branch No. BR2639. AUCTION TERMS This is a public, mail bid, and internet auction conducted by Classical 6. Estimates are in U.S. dollars ($US) and bids must be in Numismatic Group, Inc. (CNG). Bidding in the auction constitutes even dollar ($) amounts. CNG will execute mail bids on behalf of acceptance of the following terms: mail bidders. Subject to reserves and opening prices, mail bids will be executed at one bidding increment (approximately 10%) over the next 1. The property listed in this catalogue is offered for sale by highest bid. In the case of identical bids, the earliest bid wins. A mail CNG for itself and as agent for various owners and other consignors. bid has priority over an identical floor bid. Bid by lot number. No lots We reserve the right to reject any bid, to determine the opening price, will be broken. Bidders are responsible for errors in bidding. Check to set bidding increments, to vary the order of the auction, to reopen your bid sheet carefully. bidding in the case of a dispute, to withdraw any lot, to bid on behalf of CNG, to bid on behalf of the consignor, to permit the auctioneer to 7. All lots are subject to reserve unless otherwise indicated. bid on his own behalf, and to permit the consignor to bid on his own However, no reserve will be higher than the estimate, and ordinarily lots. CNG may loan or advance money to consignors or prospective lots are reserved at 60% of estimate. bidders, and may have an interest other than commission charges in any lot. CNG may bid on its own account as an “insider” with infor- 8. Bidders personally guarantee payment for their successful mation not available to the public. bids, including bidders executing commission bids from other parties and bidders representing corporations or other entities. Buyers accept- 2. A buyer’s fee will be charged to all successful bidders as fol- ing commission bids from other parties do so at their own risk and lows on the hammer price: remain responsible for payment under these Auction Terms. A. 20% for written, fax, email, telephone, and live internet bids. B. 17.5% for floor bids placed in person at the auction and electronic 9. At the conclusion of bidding for each lot, the sale contract is bids placed directly on www.cngcoins.com. concluded and the successful bidder becomes liable for immediate All written bids, email bids, non-live telephone bids, live internet bid payment under these Auction Terms. In the event a successful bidder registrations, and live telephone bid registrations must be received fails to make full payment within 30 days of the auction date, CNG before 5PM Eastern time on the day before the auction begins. CNG reserves the right either: (a) to require payment as provided under reserves the right to change the format of www.cngcoins.com at any these Auction Terms; or (b) to deem the sale incomplete and to re-auc- time. tion the material, in which case the successful bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable cost of such a sale and also to pay any shortfall between 3. All coins are guaranteed genuine. Attribution, date, condi- the re-auction price and the successful bidder’s purchase price. CNG tion, and other descriptions are the opinion of the cataloguer, and no reserves all rights that it is entitled to under the Pennsylvania Uniform warranty is expressed or implied. Please note that an auction sale Commercial Code, including the right to offset any sums due from a is not an approval sale. Lots examined prior to the sale and lots successful bidder against any future consignment or purchase or mon- purchased by floor bidders (including bidders executing commission ies or goods in possession of CNG. bids on behalf of other parties) may not be returned for any reason except lack of authenticity. All claims of misdescription and all 10. Sales tax, postage, handling and insurance are the responsibil- claims of return, except claims regarding authenticity, must be made ity of the buyer and are added to all invoices where appropriate. For within 5 days of receipt of material. Any claim of lack of authenticity buyers in the European Union, CNG may import lots into the United must be made in writing by the original purchaser immediately after Kingdom prior to shipment and charge buyers the import Value Added discovery that an item is not authentic, and upon making such a claim Tax. On any tax not paid by the purchaser which should have been the original purchaser must immediately return the lot to CNG in the paid, even if not invoiced by CNG, the purchaser agrees to pay the same condition as at the time of the auction. Coins that have been same on demand together with any interest or penalty that may be encapsulated (“slabbed”) by a grading and/or authentication service assessed. It is the responsibility of the buyer to comply with foreign may not be returned for any reason, including authenticity, if they customs and other regulations. have been removed from the encapsulation (“slab”). If payment is 11. Prices realized are published after the sale and are mailed with made by credit card, rights of return are governed by these Auction CNG’s next publication. Prices realized are also posted after the sale Terms which supercede any rights of return promulgated by the card on CNG’s web site: www.cngcoins.com issuer. Estimates are intended as a guide only and not as a statement of opinion of value. 12. Bidders hereby waive any claim for incidental, consequential or exemplary damages arising from this auction. The sole remedy that 4. Invoices are due and payable immediately upon receipt. any participant in the auction shall have for any claim or controversy Interest and late fees of 2.0% per month, or at the highest rate permit- arising out of the auction shall be a refund, without interest, of all or ted by law, whichever is less, from the date of the auction, shall be part of the purchase price paid by the participant. payable on invoices not settled within 30 days of the auction date. Payment may be made by check or bank wire. Credit cards (Visa 13. All rights granted by CNG or otherwise available to bidders or MasterCard) will be accepted; credit card payments will not be and purchasers, under these Auction Terms or otherwise, are personal accepted more than 14 days after the sale date. Payment by check and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person or entity, must be made in either US dollars ($) drawn on a US bank or British whether by operation of law or otherwise. No third party may rely on sterling (£) drawn on a British bank. All successful bidders outside any benefit or right conferred by these Auction Terms. Bidders acting North America and the United Kingdom will be charged an additional as agents must disclose the agency in writing to CNG prior to the auc- $20 fee for bank charges that are the result of international wire trans- tion; otherwise rights are limited to the agent and are not transferable fer fees; this fee will be deducted for credit card or check payment as to the undisclosed principal. described above. CNG may reduce or compromise any charge or fee at its discretion. 14. Any dispute regarding this auction shall be governed by the laws of Pennsylvania and shall be adjudicated only by the Lancaster 5. Bidders not known to us must provide us with satisfactory County Court of Common Pleas or the U.S. District Court for the credit references or pay a deposit as determined at CNG’s discretion Eastern District of Pennsylvania; all bidders submit themselves to before bidding. Minors are not permitted to bid without written con- the personal jurisdiction of these courts for this purpose, consent sent of a parent guaranteeing payment. CNG may require payment to service of process by registered or certified mail, and waive any in full from any bidder prior to delivery of lots. Title does not pass contrary provisions of Articles 14 or 15 of the French Civil Code and until lots are paid in full. Upon receipt of lots, the buyer assumes full any similar provisions in any jurisdiction. All bidders consent to the responsibility for loss or damage. Delivery to the buyer’s address of confidentiality of consignors’ identities and waive any right to require record shall constitute receipt by the buyer regardless of the identity disclosure of the name of the consignor or owner of any auction lot, of the person accepting delivery. whether such right is based on New York GOL §5-701(a) or any other provision in any jurisdiction. In any dispute regarding this auction, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable costs and attorney fees. 3 Participate in Triton XVI Live on the Internet With Live Online Bidding, you can: • Log on and bid at any time through our partner the-saleroom.com • View the lots, follow the bidding, and see hammer prices as they are sold • Hear and see the auctioneer live • Enjoy all the advantages of an auction room bidder to win your favorite lots To bid live in Triton XVI: • Visit our dedicated Live Online Bidding site before the auction at http://livebidding.cngcoins.com • Register online and choose your username and password • On the auction day, login to join the auction and participate live Please Note • Your CNG handle and password will not allow you to bid live – you must register separately for this auction • You must register to bid live before 5PM EST on Monday, January 7, 2013 • All lots won through Live Online Bidding will be subject to a 20% buyer’s fee 4 Lot Viewing Lancaster, PA Auction lots may be viewed at our Lancaster Office from December 3, 2012 until December 31, 2012, by appointment only, unless the lots are on exhibition at the showing below. Lancaster Office Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM (Monday - Friday). Please note that our hours will be limited during the holiday season. San Francisco New York City San Francisco Historical Bourse Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Holiday Inn Golden Gateway Carnegie and Morgan Suites, 18th Floor Gold Rush Ballroom Sunday January 6, 2013 - 1 PM until 7 PM Friday & Saturday, December 14-15, 2012 Monday January 7, 2013 - 9 AM until 7 PM 8–10 AM (Dealers) and 10 AM–6 PM (Public) Tuesday January 8, 2013 - 9 AM until 6 PM Individual Lots Only at this Showing Wednesday January 9, 2013 - 9 AM until Noon Online Viewing Enlargements of all single lots and selected multiple lots may be viewed on the internet at CNGCOINS.COM NumisBids.com SIXBID.COM We are sorry, but photographs of individual coins in multiple lots cannot be provided. Auction Location New York City - Waldorf-Astoria Hotel North Suite, 18th Floor Lot Pickup New York City - Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Starlight Roof - North Foyer (The room on the right immediately after NYINC Registration Desk) Thursday January 10, 2013 - 2 PM until 6 PM Friday January 11, 2013 - 10 AM until 6 PM Saturday January 12, 2013 - 10 AM until 6 PM Sunday January 13, 2013 - 10 AM until Noon 5 Order of Sale Session One – Tuesday Morning – January 8 – 9:30 AM The Alex Shubs Collection of Coins of the Western Black Sea Region ....................1–167 Greek Coinage (part 1) ........................................................168–406 Session Two – Tuesday Afternoon – January 8 – 2:00 PM Greek Coinage (part 2) ........................................................407–612 Celtic Coinage ............................................................... 613–626 Oriental Greek Coinage .......................................................627–650 Central Asian Coinage ........................................................651–683 Roman Provincial Coinage ....................................................684–749 Roman Republican & Imperatorial Coinage (part 1) .................................750–852 Session Three – Wednesday Morning – January 9 – 9:30 AM Roman Republican & Imperatorial Coinage (part 2) ................................853–1000 The A.K. Collection of Roman Coinage ........................................1001–1005 Roman Imperial Coinage ....................................................1006–1238 Session Four – Wednesday Afternoon – January 9 – 2:00 PM Byzantine Coinage ......................................................... 1239–1303 Early Medieval & Islamic Coinage ........... ................................ .. 1304–1326 World Coinage ............................................................ 1327–1532 British Coinage ............................................................ 1533–1609 British Medals ............................................................. 1610–1630 Large Lots ................................ ................................ 1631–1730 All lots in this auction from the BCD Collection were in the possession of CNG in CNG’s Lancaster, Pennsylvania office no later than 1 November 2011. All other lots in this auction were in the possession of CNG in CNG’s Lancaster, Pennsylvania office no later than 1 November 2012. This information is provided for the protection of buyers in the event that US import restrictions are introduced subsequent to that date on any of the types of coins and antiquities that are included in this auction. Notice Regarding “Slabs” Coins that have been encapsulated (“slabbed”) by a grading and/or authentication service may not be returned for any reason, including authenticity, if they have been removed from the encapsulation (“slab”). Acknowledgement CNG would like to thank Jan Moens ([email protected]) for creating and providing the Numismatica Medievalis font used in this sale. 6 Session 1 – Tuesday, January 8, 2013 — 9:30 AM The Alex Shubs Collection of Coins of the Northwestern Black Sea Alex’s 40 years of collecting ancient coins began when he was merely a boy of 11 years, when his father gave him the autobiography of the famous German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. From that moment, Alex became enamored with archaeology and ancient history. At the time, his family was living in Kiev, where the Institute of Archeology of the Ukrainian Academy of Science was located. The Institute held special after-school classes for children who were interested in ancient history and archaeology, and one of the best archaeologists at that time, Valery Dudkin, was an instructor. By the following summer, Alex and his classmates, alongside students from Moscow University, were conducting a dig at the site of ancient Olbia along the Black Sea in the Crimea. Thereafter, for three months every other summer until the completion of his schooling, Alex and his classmates were involved in archaeological expeditions with their teacher. In addition to the dig at Olbia, Alex participated in digs at Tauric Chersonesos, Karkinitis, Pantikapaion, and Nymphaion. Of course, ancient coins were found by Alex during these summer digs. The first coin he found was at his first site, Olbia; it was a 4th century BC bronze with the head of the river god Borysthenes (the Dneiper River was known as the Borysthenes to the Olbians). The coin was in excellent condition, and so beautiful to the young boy that he even slept with it under his pillow over the following days. It was the first coin that Alex obtained for his collection, where it remains to this day. Beside this archaeological experience, one other event in Alex’s youth was a motivating factor in his desire to collect ancient coins. When he was 13 years old, Alex visited the coin cabinet of the Hermitage Museum, which holds the greatest collection of ancient Greek coins of the Black Sea area. While amazed by the entire display, he was particularly captivated by the 5th-4th century bronze coins of Theodoseia, which, at that time, were of even greater rarity than today (though they are still quite rare, with only 20-30 pieces are known). On the reverse of these coins was the forepart of a bull, but the obverse was never displayed. The young Alex, enamored with the beauty of their reverse, dearly wished to see what the obverse depicted, and the simple pictures he found in books failed to assuage his desire to view one of these in his hand. Over the years of his collecting, Alex managed to obtain four early bronzes of Theodoseia for his collection, one of which is of the extremely rare type he saw at the Hermitage. Finally having the coin in-hand, Alex spent three hours just staring at the head of Hera on the obverse. Collecting coins was not new to Alex’s family; his father and grandfather both collected, but concentrated on issues of Imperial Russia. Eventually, their collections were passed on to Alex, who exchanged the (then-inexpensive) Russian coins for ancient Black Sea Greek and Roman coins. He soon built a quite impressive collection of ancient coins. In 1988, at age 28, and holding a degree in mechanical engineering, Alex moved to the US and opened his own engineering firm a couple of years later. His company soon developed into an international firm, giving him the opportunity to travel throughout Europe, where he would acquire new coins for his growing collection. By the 1990s, with huge hoards of material pouring out of eastern Europe, Alex was in a position to acquire many very rare and desirable coins. The first portion of his collection, containing the coinage of the Cimmerian Bosporos and Kings of Bosporos, was sold in Classical Numismatic Group 84 on 5 May 2010, and the concurrent Electronic Auction 233. That collection of coins from the Northeastern Black Sea mints was extraordinarily diverse, with numerous rarities not often seen in the marketplace. CNG is proud to now offer his complimentary collection of coinage from the Northwestern Black Sea mints, which is equally diverse in its selection of rare and interesting types. Many of these coins have been unavailable in the marketplace, and some have been used as plate coins in publications. No comprehensive collection of these coins have ever appeared at auction. Alex has provided personal notes throughout the collection, and they appear in italics following the relevant lots. A Note on Dating, References, and Rarity The dating of much of the coinage from this region is not secure, and often the subject of pure speculation. The various references often diverge on their dating schemes, sometimes to a great extent for particular coin series. For the purpose of consistency, this collection generally follows the 2011 edition of Anokhin’s catalog of coins of the northern Black Sea (see Anokhin in the bibliography below). Unfortunately, this catalog is not yet widely available in the West, nor are many of the primary references that are necessary for an understanding of the coinage of this region. For this reason, each lot will include references to SNG BM Black Sea, SNG Pushkin, SNG Stancomb, and the two volumes of the Sutzu collection, which are the primary specialized collections of this coinage that are widely available. Regarding the rarity of the coins, ascertaining the objective data to quantify their rarity is difficult, as there is so little published. At the same time, the scarcity of this type of coinage in most published collections may be the result of a bias against lower grade coins, as most of these issues commonly occur in average to low grade. In any event, Alex is intimately familiar with the existence of examples in both public and private collections, and the rarity ratings on the coins are based on his observations. Works Cited Anokhin Anokhin, V.A. Античные Монеты Северного Причерноморья (Ancient Coins of the Northern Black Sea Coast). Kiev, 2011. Anokhin, Arrowhead –––––. “Монеты-стрелки” (The Arrowhead-Money) in Ольвия и ее округа (Olbia and its Vicinity). Kiev, 1986. Anokhin, Khersonesa –––––. Монетное дело Херсонеса (IV в. до н.э. - XII в. н.э) (Coinage of Chersonesus [4th century BC - 12 century AD]). Kiev, 1977. Frolova, Frühe Frolova, N.A. Die frühe Münzprägung vom Kimmerischen Bosporos (Mitte 6. bis Anfang 4. Jh. v. Chr.): Die Münzen der Städte Pantikapaion, Theodosia, Numphaion und Phanagoria sowie der Sinder. Berlin, 2004. Frolova, Skilura –––––. “Монеты скифского царя Скилура” (The Coins of the Scythian King Scilurus) in Советская Археология (Sovietskaya Arkheologiya) 1964. Frolova & Abramzon Frolova, N.A., and M.G. Abramzon. Монеты Ольвии в Собрании Государственного Исторического Музея (Coins of Olbia in the Collection of the State Historical Museum). Moscow, 2005. Karyshkovskij Karyshkovskij, P.O. Монетное дело и денежное Обращение Ольвии (VI в. до н.э. – IV в. н.э.) (Coinage and Monetary Circulation in Olbia [6th century B.C. – 4th century A.D.]). Odessa, 2003. 7 Kutajsov Kutajsov, V.A. “Cast money and coins of Kerkinitis of the Fifth Century B.C.” in Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia 2.1 (1995). Medvedeva Medvedeva, L.I. “Монеты Керкинитиды” (Coinage of Kerkinitis) in Нумизматика и эпиграфика (Numismatics and Epigraphy) 14 (1984). Sidorenko & Shonov Sidorenko, V.A., and I.V. Shonov. “К типологии монетной чеканки античной Феодосии” (Typology of the ancient coinage of Theodosia) in MAIET XV (2009). SNG BM Black Sea Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain, Volume IX, British Museum, Part 1: The Black Sea. London, 1993. SNG Pushkin Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Coins of the Black Sea Region. Part I: Ancient Coins of the Northern Black Sea Littoral. Leuven, 2011. SNG Stancomb Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain, Volume XI, The William Stancomb Collection of Coins of the Black Sea Region. Oxford, 2000. Solovyov Solovyov, S.L. “Monetary Circulation and the Political History of Archaic Borysthenes” in Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia 12 (2006). Stolba Stolba, V. “Ein Münzfund aus Eupatoria von 1917 und der Beginn der Prägung von Kerkinitis” in W. Leschhorn, et al., eds., Hellas und der Griechische Osten. Festschrift für Peter Robert Franke zum 70. Geburtstag. Saarbrücken, 1996. Sutzu I Petac, E. La Collection M.C. Sutzu (Bibliothèque de l’Académie Roumaine, Bucarest). I. Istros, Kallatis, Tomis. Wettern, 2005. Sutzu II –––––. La Collection M.C. Sutzu (Bibliothèque de l’Académie Roumaine, Bucarest). II. Cités grecques du Nord de la Mer Noire, d’Asie Mineure et d’Afrique (Collection Grand-duc Alexandre Mikhailovitch). Wettern, 2009. Zograph, Tyra A.N. Zograph. Mонеты Tиры (Coinage of Tyra). Moscow, 1957. Borysthenes [IACP 690] Borysthenes was a Milesian settlement established circa 600 BC near the confluence of the Hypanis and Borysthenes rivers. There is ongoing debate about the exact location of the settlement, with some scholars placing it on Berezan, while others collocate it with site of Olbia. It was the first of the Greek cities of the northern Black Sea to issue a coinage of its own, in the second half of the sixth century BC, consisting of large triangular and trapezoidal cast bronzes featuring arrows or arrowheads on one side and a tunny fish (or its head) on the other. These large coins were soon supplemented with smaller cast bronzes in the shape of arrowheads. These arrowheads were produced for a century or more, and, over time, evolved from plain biface arrowheads into a form with an arrowhead on just one side and a dolphin on the other. In his 1986 study of this ‘arrowhead money,’ V.A. Anokhin distinguished four basic types, although many more varieties have appeared since that time. Most numismatists, however, view the ‘arrowhead money’ as proto-money, and typically do not include these in publications of coinage from this region (SNG BM Black Sea, for example, contains none). The reason that this coinage was produced is not certain, but most scholars agree that it comprised a local trade coinage among the Greek settlements along the western and northwestern Black Sea coast, where they have been found in many excavations and hoards. It is also apparent that these cast arrowheads replaced the use of actual military arrowheads that were modified for trade by bending down the point and filling the empty orifice where the shaft had been attached with lead. Trade among these poleis also included a precious metal coinage at this time as well, but hoards and excavations have shown that they relied upon the bountiful electrum issues of Kyzikos for this purpose. The use of the tunny on the early bronzes of Borysthenes is probably related to its presence on the electrum coinage of Kyzikos, and some studies have suggested that the weights of the bronze coinage may be relative to the Phocaic standard that was used at Kyzikos. By the end of the sixth century, there was certainly a robust economy between Borysthenes and the other cities in the region, as significant numbers of these arrowhead coins have been found in hoards across the western Black Sea coast. Political and military upheavals in the fifth century, however, resulted in a reduction of the population of Borysthenes, while the population and prosperity of Olbia grew. In the third quarter of the fifth century, Borysthenes was finally absorbed into the territory controlled by Olbia, becoming the emporion of the latter, and this event marked the end of its coinage. From the consignor: During my participation in archeological digging in Berezan & Olbia, when I was 11-14 years old, we were often digging out many pieces of Greek ceramic from the 6th-5th centuries BC decorated with fish (tunny) heads and arrows. Later, I read in D.B. Shelov, Coins of Bosporos (Moscow, 1956), that salted fish and grains were a primary trade product between the Black Sea coast and cities of Greece. At the same time, bronze arrows were also important products of trade between Greek settlers and Skythians. The Borysthenes, which should be, in accordance with archeological literature, understood as Berezan, was founded around 645/644 BC (Euseb. Chron. Can. II.88). Most of the cities of the northern and western Black Sea region were founded by settlers from Ionia. This is why almost in all of these cities one could find a cult of Apollo the Healer. Attributes of such a cult were arrows and arrow heads (A.F. Losev, An- cient Mythology in Their Historical Development [Moscow, 1957], p. 410). So this explains the appearance of bronze arrowheads in 7th-6th centuries BC as votive donations to the temple of Apollo Iatros. The bronze dolphins and tunny heads were attributes of another cult, Apollo Delphinios, the temple of which was found during archeological excavations in Olbia. Its construction is dated to the 3rd quarter of the 6th century BC (V.P. Yailenko, Greek Colonization, VII-III Centuries BC [Moscow, 1982]; and V.P. Yailenko, To the Age & Translation of the Berezan Letter to Achillodoros [Moscow, 1974], pp. 133–52). Bronze dolphins were found in the temple and in the sorounding houses, which attest to its use as proto-money. While the plain arrowheads and dolphins are quite plentiful today, the presence of any letters or symbols (including slanted “nerves” emanat- ing from the central spines) only occurs in roughly 1 out of every 10,000 examples. Therefore, any such examples are extremely rare. This is attested by the rarity of examples with letters or symbols present in the major collections: for instance, there are only 4 in the British Museum, 3 in Berlin, and about 14 in the Hermitage. Sometime after Olbia absorbed Borysthenes, the proto-coinage of cast arrowheads, tunny heads, and dolphins were eventually replaced by the large cast asses with the legend APIX. This legend first appears on the latest issue of dolphins (and possibly arrowheads - see Lot 20, below), as APIXO, with the O equating to the first letter of the city name, Olbia. The APIX is more uncertain. It is quite possible that the AP and IX are abbreviations of two Greek words, ΑPδις (= arrowhead) and IXθυς (= fish), respectively. This legend, therefore, would reinforce that this new coinage of asses was the replacement for the previous “proto-coinage” of arrowhead and dolphin money. The advent of the asses is thought to be circa 437–410 BC, following the Athenian expedition of Perikles to the region, whereupon Olbia became a member of the Delian League. 8