Xanthos, Lycia (Kuprlli Dynast; 450-440 BC.)
AR Diobol

Obv: Goat standing left
Rev: Triskeles in dotted incuse square.

Attribution: SNG v.Aulock 4145
Provenance: ex. HJB 161 (lot#162), 10.28.08

Weight: 1.51 gm.
Maximal Diameter: 12.50 mm.
Axis: 12 (?)

Note: The goat, a fairly rare motif on silver Lycian Dynast coinage, is typically only seen on issues minted under Kuprilli. So, while the coin above is anepigraphic, it is a safe assumption that it fits with the coinage of Kuprilli.

While having the appearance of a clipped coin, this curious Lycian issue is actually minted on a hastily halved blank prior to the striking process. The full incuse square on the back and complete goat motif on the obverse serve as visual proof, but greater evidenciary weight is provided by how the striking process of the reverse incuse has resulted in a broadening of the flan at the edge. Lycian dynast coinage is known for irregularities in flan shape and size. This coin provides some evidence that Lycian fractional coinage was from time-to-time actually derived by physically halving the blanks for larger denominations -- in this case halving a third-stater blank to mint a sixth-stater coin.

GK296