Arkesine, Amorgos, Cyclades
circa 300-200 BCE
Æ 13mm, 4,89g
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right
Rev: Antelope(?) standing right on line. API above.
This coin has puzzled me, but I believe it’s a (perhaps unique) example from Arkesine on Amorgos. The reverse exactly resembles images of Athena depicted in Liampi 26d-28a. My example is also the same size as 28a, though the weight is off. However, it’s widely believed the size was far more important than the weight in determining denominations.
My coin has the same general look on the reverse as those of Arkesine, including the ethnic – API – but my coin clearly depicts a goat or an antelope instead of a ram. I have found no other coins with such a match, though those of Paros commonly include goats.
However, there are no known issues of Paros with Athena, and I don’t see any evidence of the Π, which on coins of Paros is very close to the A. Therefore, I’m inclined to believe this is a rare issue of Arkesine.