| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 203 | Silver | Auction date: 24 March 2024 |
| Lot number: 95 Price realized: 190 EUR (Approx. 206 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Arkadia. Orchomenos circa 360-340 BC. Dichalkon Æ 18 mm, 4,74 g Artemis kneeling right, holding bow in her left hand and resting her right by her side / [EPXOMENION], Kallisto seated left on rock, transfixed by an arrow in her breast and falling backwards, at her side, the infant Arkas lying on his back. Nearly Very Fine BCD 1573; MG 246-247; SNG Cop. 266; Svoronos 1914, pl. XI, 5, 7; Traité III 940. Ex CNG; EX BCD collection, with ticket. Kallisto, also spelled Callisto, is a figure from Greek mythology whose story is intertwined with that of the goddess Artemis and the god Zeus. She was a nymph and a follower of Artemis, known for her beauty and chastity. According to myth, Zeus, the king of the gods, became enamored with Kallisto and disguised himself as Artemis to seduce her. Kallisto, unaware of Zeus's true identity, was deceived and subsequently became pregnant. When her pregnancy became apparent, she was expelled from Artemis's company. Zeus's wife, Hera, discovered Zeus's infidelity and transformed Kallisto into a bear as punishment. In some versions of the myth, Hera did this out of jealousy or spite. As a bear, Kallisto roamed the wilderness for years. Eventually, Kallisto encountered her son, Arcas, while he was hunting. Arcas, unaware of the bear's true identity, prepared to kill her. Zeus intervened and prevented the tragedy by transforming Arcas into a bear as well. He then placed both Kallisto and Arcas in the sky as the constellations Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (the Little Bear), respectively. Starting price: 50 EUR |  |
