Freeman & Sear - F&S Mail Bid Sale #11

Lot: 131
KVA1867
ISLANDS OFF CARIA: Cos. Ca. 170 BC. AR tetradrachm 
(16.61 gm).

ISLANDS OFF CARIA: Cos. Ca. 170 BC. AR tetradrachm 
(16.61 gm). Head of Aphrodite right, wreathed with 
myrtle / Asclepius standing right, resting on serpent 
staff, legs crossed, magistrate's signature IKOSTRATOS 
in left field. Wealth of the Ancient World 111 (same 
obverse die). Extremely rare. Perhaps only the eighth 
known, and the first available publicly in many years. 
Some light surface roughness, otherwise very fine

The figure of Asclepius on the 
reverse is a reminder that Cos was one of the great 
Hellenistic centers of the healing arts. It may 
duplicate his Coan cult statue, but this cannot be 
proved. The same pose also occurs in a series of 
statuettes found in the sanctuary of Asclepius at 
Epidaurus, which definitely do not resemble the seated 
cult statue there. It has been suggested that the 
statuettes and the Coan tetradrachm reverse may imitate 
a lost masterpiece of Bryaxis, perhaps located at 
Alexandria if not at Cos. 
Estimated Value: $ 15,000 

 Lot sold for $9,000, [ approx 6750 EUR, 4680 GBP ] plus 15% buyers fee. 

Re-used by permission of Freeman and Sear, www.freemanandsear.com.