Caria, uncertain mint Obol Ca. 5th century BC

An apparently unpublished silver obol attributed to an uncertain mint in Caria, struck in the 5th century BC. Pairing the forepart of a bull with the head of a gazelle, this miniature issue presents an unusual combination of animal imagery.

Caria, uncertain mint.
Ca. 5th century BC.
Obol (Silver, 6.4 mm, 0.31 g).

Obv: Forepart of bull to left.
Rev: Head of gazelle to left.

Reference: Leu Web Auction 1 (2017), 591. CNG 287 (2012), 203. Naumann 53 (2017), 306. Extremely rare and unpublished in any reference.

Caria, in southwestern Asia Minor, was a meeting place of Greek and Anatolian traditions under Persian rule. Its diverse communities produced silver coinages featuring local symbols and animal designs. Small fractions such as this obol served everyday exchange, while their imagery expressed identities that are not always recoverable today. Here, the absence of an inscription leaves the issuing mint uncertain.

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