‘Tartarughe’ di Kydonia (Creta)

[apollonia]

Kydonia sull’isola di Creta fu colonizzata da Egina nel V secolo e ha prodotto una piccola quantità di emidramme d'argento con la raffigurazione di una tartaruga. Queste monete sono approssimativamente databili al 450-330 a. C.

Emidramma della Obolos (by Nomos), Webauction 4.

CRETE, Kydonia. Circa 450-330 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 13mm, 2.44 g). ‘Rectangular’ tortoise seen from above. Rev. Incuse square with skew divisions; crescent in one compartment. Le Rider pl. X, 10 ( same dies). A very interesting coin - the tortoise appears to be within a rectangular frame or border; this is a rather unusual variant. Good very fine.
From the Brünn Collection, acquired in Italy prior to World War I.

 

[apollonia]

Emidramma della Nomos 16.

GREEK COINS 
Crete. Kydonia. Circa 450-330 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 14 mm, 2.95 g), overstruck on a Rhodian drachm (?). Land tortoise with segmented shell; to right, Α (?). Rev. Square incuse with skew pattern; in one segment, crescent. Robinson, Pseudoaeginetica, NC 1928, 8. SNG Copenhagen 402 (same dies, for other examples from these dies see CNG e345, 2015, 256 = Gorny & Mosch 216, 2013, 2451; CNG e152, 2006, 75; and, probably, Künker 136, 2008, 213). A very attractive, toned example, struck in good silver and unusually fine. About extremely fine.
From the Cinquantenaire Collection, Switzerland, acquired from Tradart in 2010.
If the possible overstrike on a Rhodian drachm can be proven (part of the rose seems to be visible on the reverse), it will definitely affect the date of this issue. Presently the standard date is c. 450-330, but if it is really overstruck on Rhodes that would have to be lowered into the first half of the 4th century only. This example may well be the finest piece known.

 

[apollonia]

Triobolo di Kydonia battuto alla CNG 108.

Greek 
CRETE, Kydonia. Circa 450-330 BC. AR Triobol (12mm, 2.78 g, 6h). Tortoise with T-pattern shell; K to right / Incuse square with skew pattern. Unpublished in the standard references. VF, toned, a hint of porosity. Extremely rare, none in CoinArchives.
It is possible that SNG Delepierre 1528 is of this same type, but the letter, if it is present, is partially obscured.

 

[apollonia]

Statere di Egina inizialmente attribuito a Kydonia (Roma Numismatics 7).

Islands off Attica, Aegina AR Stater. Circa 530-525 BC. Proto-tortoise seen from above, shell divided into into thirteen segments, head turned slightly to right / Square incuse punch divided into eight triangles. Traité III, 110, pl. CXCIV ; Milbank pl. I, 12; Robinson, Pseudoaeginetica, 3, pl. IX, 3 ; Arnold-Biucchi, Selinus, 123-124. 12.37g, 21mm. Very Rare. Mint State; the finest known example. From the Gutekunst Collection; Ex Roma Numismatics III, 31 March 2012, lot 133; Ex Numismatica Genevensis 6, 30 November 2010, lot 70.

Robinson attributed these proto-tortoise coins, which bear an animal displaying features of both turtles and tortoises, to Kydonia in Crete. It was Holloway's study of the early Aeginetan coinage which conclusively demonstrated that they belonged to that mint, not Kydonia. They are now recognized as being a rare variant type that was used alongside the normal 'T-back' sea turtle type. It appears that the latter was produced in large numbers, as indicated by numerous specimens struck from very worn obverse dies. In contrast however, this proto-tortoise with its segmented shell is usually found having been struck from fresh dies, and it is likely that very few were ever struck, implying that the type had a special significance or was produced for a specific purpose.

 

Inizialmente attribuito a Kydonia, questo statere che presenta entrambe le caratteristiche delle ‘turtles’ e delle ‘tortoises’ è stato alla fine riconosciuto di Egina, quindi coniato in Grecia e non a Creta. Stimato 20'000 GBP e quindi con prezzo di partenza 16'000 GBP quattro anni fa, è stato aggiudicato a 17'000 GBP.