2016-06-14 Tue

During the Classical Numismatic Group sale that was held on 18th May, a circa 390 to 370 B.C. Lycian silver stater issued by Mithrapata, graded Good Very Fine was auctioned for an impressive $3,250. The reverse of the coin features Mithrapata, while the obverse features a lion.

Experts state that before Lycians, coins featured images of kings but were not as detailed. With time, coins were struck with more realistic depictions of emperors in the early-mid 4th century B.C. This particular coin has distinct features of an aging Mithrapata, as per the changing tradition of issuing coins with more realistic portraits.

Mithrapata’s successor, Perikles also continued to issue coins of the same type, but later on the portrait was struck on the obverse of the coin, to give more importance to the emperor. Unlike the earlier simplistic portraits, they had a more dramatic facing position.

Mithrapata and Perikles were never featured with their headgear satrapal on the coins, probably because they had separated from the Persian king and formed their independent kingdom. When Maussollos of Caria invaded the region circa 360 B.C. Lycian coinage saw its end.