Lycia, Pharselis. c. 530-500 BC

Lycia, Pharselis. c. 530-500 BC

$2,750.00

AR Stater, 10.88g (20mm, 1h).

Prow of galley l., ending in a boar's forepart / Incuse square divided by two bands, with Λ-shaped feature in one section

Pedigree: Ex Claude Burgan 17 November 2017, 74. M&M Deutschland 48, 2019, 1198.

References: Heipp-Tamer, Series 3, em. 1b, 40. 

Grade: Minor overall wear. Pleasant Toned VF

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This evocative archaic stater comes from the important Lycian port city of Phaselis and belongs to one of the earliest and most characterful coinages of the region. The obverse depicts the prow of a galley to left, terminating in the forepart of a boar-a striking and unusual hybrid image that speaks directly to Phaselis’ maritime identity and its role as a trading hub linking Lycia with the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. The boar, a powerful and symbolic animal in Anatolian and Greek visual language, lends the type a sense of strength and local character.

The reverse features a deeply impressed incuse square divided by two bands, with an Λ-shaped motif in one compartment. This bold and abstract design is typical of early Lycian silver, where emphasis is placed on weight, fabric, and geometric clarity rather than narrative complexity. Together, the types reflect a formative moment in monetary history, when civic identity was expressed through emblematic imagery rather than explicit inscriptions.

The present example shows minor overall wear, consistent with circulation, and is enhanced by pleasant toning that softens the surfaces and highlights the archaic fabric. As an early stater of Phaselis, it represents an appealing combination of historical importance, visual originality, and scarcity within the broader Lycian series.