Monete con labirinto

[apollonia]

Asta Classical Numismatic Group, LLC Triton XXIX  13-14 Jan 2026

Lot 191
Estimate: 3000 USD. Price realized: 7000 USD.

CRETE, Knossos. Circa 320-300 BC. AR Stater (24.5mm, 11.14 g). Head of female (Demeter or Persephone) left / Labyrinth in the form of a swastika, five pellets at center; four small incuse squares at corners; all within shallow incuse circle. Svoronos, Numismatique 39; Le Rider, Cretoises pl. VI, 22 and pl. XXV, 9 (same dies[?]); BMC 9; Weber 4414. Toned, overstruck on a facing head type from an uncertain mint. Good VF. A spectacular overstrike.

Ex Prof. David Macdonald Collection.

According to the Greek myth, Minos was the first king of Crete. Although he gave the island its first constitution, ordered the construction of the palace at Knossos, and was the first to build a navy, he was a cruel tyrant and imperialist. One of his subject cities was Athens. He demanded from its citizens as payment every nine years seven youths and seven virgins. Minos would feed them then to the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull who was held in the Labyrinth, a large walled maze. To stop this brutal tribute, the Athenian hero, Theseus, had himself sent as part of the required tribute. With the assistance of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, Theseus was able to navigate the Labyrinth successfully and kill the Minotaur.

apollonia