May 19, 2020
Silver stater from Salamis, Cyprus, c. 445-411 BC,
This extremely rare coin minted under an uncertain king shows a recumbent ram with a pellet-in-crescent above, “Euelthon” in Cypriot around. The reverse shows a large ornate ankh enclosing Cypriot letter ku; Cypriot letters ko and ru flanking, floral ornaments in corners; all within incuse square.
Salamis was an ancient Greek city-state on the east coast of Cyprus, at the mouth of the river Pedieos, about 4 miles north of modern Famagusta. According to tradition the founder of Salamis was Teucer, son of Telamon, who could not return home after the Trojan war because he had failed to avenge his brother Ajax.
