(售价 $95000.0)

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The Prospero Collection of Ancient Greek Coins. BLACK SEA REGION. Kolchis (late 5th – early 4th century B.C.), Silver Didrachm, 9.33g,. Head of Artemis Dali facing to right, her hair flowing down her neck. Rev. Two female heads facing inwards towards each other, each within an incuse square (SNG BMC Black Sea 1012 (this obverse die); Jameson 2543). A few pits, toned, very fine, of fantastic archaic style, incredibly rare, this example being in perhaps the finest state of preservation, a fascinating and highly important coin. Purchased from Spink & Son Ltd., London, 22 January 1988 Kolchis was situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea at the foot of the Caucasus mountains. In ancient times, it was the mythological destination of Jason and the Argonauts’ quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The king of Kolchis, Aeëtes, promised to let Jason have the fleece if he could first perform three tasks. While he was carrying out his tasks, Aphrodite had caused Medea, the daughter of king Aeëtes, to fall in love with Jason, and she helped him to succeed in his quest. The first task was to plow a field with fire-breathing oxen, in which Medea aided Jason by providing him with ointment to protect him from the flames. The second task was to sow the teeth of a dragon that sprouted into an army of warriors which Jason had to overcome. Again Medea helped him by advising him to throw a rock into the crowd of warriors that caused them to attack each other rather than Jason. His last task was to defeat the sleepless dragon which guarded the golden fleece, and Medea caused the dragon to sleep while Jason retrieved the fleece. He and Medea then fled to Corinth, where they lived together until Jason became engaged to Kreusa, the daughter of Kreon. Medea was so angered by this betrayal that she took her revenge by killing the two sons she bore to Jason, as well as his new bride. It would be almost overwhelmingly tempting to associate the two archaic heads on the reverse of this coin with those of Jason and Medea. However, they do appear both to be female in appearance and, in the absence of any evidence, their identity remains unknown. US$ 95,000

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