CILICIA. Nagidos AR Stater

Circa 380 BC. 18.5mm, 10.58g, 6h. Obverse: wreathed head of Dionysos right. Reverse: head of Aphrodite right, hair bound in sphendone. Cassabone type 7; Lederer 14; SBG BN-; SNG Levante 2. Toned, doubly struck, test cut on obverse, test punch on reverse. Good VF.

Ex CNG e-Auction 480, Lot 263

A far-from-perfect specimen because of the mutilations it suffered from the hands of ancient traders and merchants who wanted to make sure that this coin is made of silver (this coin is solid silver). Counterfeit coins abound even during the early days of coinage. The cuts endured by this particular coin does not detract from the fact that the obverse image of the god of wine Dionysos was carved by a master celator and undoubtedly represented one of the best in numismatic art in the milieu of classical Greek artistic tradition. There still remains a sense of beauty emanating from this mutilated coin, like an ancient sculpture that is missing a head, an arm or a leg. Imperfections sometimes make an object seem to be more intriguing, exciting and beautiful.