Description: A Pamphylia 'Two Wrestlers' silver stater with two naked athletes wrestling and grasping each other by the arms with AK between them on the obverse. A slinger advancing right on the reverse with the text ESTFEDIIY, a triskeles to right, all within dotted square. Toned, but a nice example of the type, Aspendos, Asia Minor.
Size: 25 mm/1.0 in. across and weighing 10.7 grams
Culture: Hellenistic
Date: c. 380-250 B.C.
Provenance: From the estate of a deceased London collector.
Background: The collector, who worked as a buyer for Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly, London, built up a fine collection of coins and antiquities purchased from leading London dealers.
Notes: ESTFEDIIY translates as ‘of Estwedus’ the local Greek name for the city of Aspendos located in southern Turkey. The wrestlers on the obverse relate to local games. The slinger on the reverse is regarded as a symbol of Pamphylian military prowess.
