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Lot 29, Tauric Chersonesos, Chersonesos. Circa 45–44 BC. Æ 20 mm. 3.4 gm. Obv: Artemis Parthenos advancing left, preparing to strike with raised right hand a stag recumbent left, looking upward at her; XЄPC ЄΛЄY to left. Rev: Bull butting left; legends obscured. Cf. Anokhin 831–2; cf. Anokhin, Khersonesa 200–1; RPC I –; SNG Pushkin –; SNG Stancomb –; Sutzu II –; K.V. Golenko, “Состав денежного обращения Херсонеса” (Composition of Chersonese currency in the 1st century BC) in Вестник древней истории (Journal of Ancient History) 4 (1964), 3 and pl. I, 5. Apparent attempt to “erase” the legend. Extremely rare, possibly the third known.
This obverse of this coin is very similar to Anokhin 832, while the reverse appears to use the obverse type of Anokhin 831. The sole published example, in the Golenko article ( op. cit. ) also exhibits similar “erasures” on its reverse.
After much debate it has recently been concluded that Zagaba is in fact a place and not a person. (ref. A.G. Keen, Dynastic Lycia: A Political History of the Lycians & Their Relations with Foreign Powers, c. 545-362 BC [Leiden: Brill, 1998], pp. 54–5 and 109). Due to the absence of a dynast’s name on this coin, it is possible that this is a civic issue, but coins of this type and issue do exist that are linked to the name of Vekhessere II.