Pontos; star with horse’s head/comet
100,00 €
Description
Pontos, time of Mithradates VI (120 – 63 BC). Star with head of Pegasos right / Comet with tail.
Specifications
| Diameter [mm]: | AE11 |
| Weight [g]: | 1,92 |
| Grade: | aVF/aVF |
| Attribution: | SNG BM 984 |
| Commentary: | rare; olive patina with sand deposits |
Historical Context
This is the first depiction of comet on a coin in pre-Augustan times; traditionally attributed to Pontos, though very similar to Cappadocian coins with horse and stock of grain, where adding of a star would result in the depicted coin; as for the celestial body depicted, it could be the comet of 134 BC, who announced the birth of Mithridates VI or Halley's comet of 87 BC.
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