138
nomos . . . . . . auction 4, zürich 10 may 2011
1386
1386 Thessalian League. Third quarter of the 1st century BC. Drachm (Silver, 4.18 g 12), Androsthenes and Aristokles. Laureate head of Apollo to right; behind head, ΕΠΙ ΑΝΔΡΟ / ΣΘΕΝΟΥΣ. Rev. ΘΕΣΣΑ / ΛΩΝ Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear with her right hand and extending shield in her left; above spear, Α-ΡΙΣ; in field to left and right, ΤΟ /ΚΛΗ / Σ. Helly 1966, 14 = SNG Berry 559. Rare. Attractive and toned. Good very fine. 175 Ex Kirk Davis FPL 27, August 1999, 53 ($375). A note from BCD: Kirk always surprises me with his neat and attractive coins; when I saw this one in his list I could not resist it. Its style is so different from the earlier League drachms, and yet this late Hellenistic Apollo reveals the rare sensitivity of a supremely gifted artist.
1387
1387 Thessalian League. Third quarter of the 1st century BC. Drachm (Silver, 4.05 g 12), Aga.... Helmeted head of Athena to right; above, ΑΓΑ. Rev. ΘΕΣ / ΣΑ-ΛΩ-Ν Bridled horse prancing right. SNG Copenhagen 309. Unusually nice and clear, an exellent example. Nearly extremely fine. 125 While other coins of this type must be late 2nd or early 1st century in date, this piece has to be later. The use of such an abbreviated magistrate’s name on the obverse would seem to be early, but the reverse arrangement, with the horse’s hooves breaking up the legend and with no added names, would be unprecedented for such an early period. In addition, the seemingly poorer quality silver used to strike this piece is reminiscent of the rare half stater in lot 1389 below, which itself dates down to the 40s. The possibility that some locally used silver coins of low denomination were debased, while good silver was used for imports or official payments, would make sense, especially at this period.
1388
1388 Thessalian League. Mid 40s BC. Stater (Silver, 6.19 g 1), Nikokrates, Philoxenides and Petraios. Head of Zeus to right, wearing oak wreath; behind, ΝΙΚΟΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ. Rev. ΘΕΣΣΑ / ΛΩΝ Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear with her right hand and extending shield in her left; to right, palm branch; above spear, ΦΙΛΟΞ-ΕΝΙΔΟΥ; in exergue, ΠΕΤΡΑΙΟΣ. Klose p. 350, S = SNG Copenhagen 298. A superb example, beautifully struck and centered on a very broad flan. Good extremely fine. 225 Acquired from Spink’s in November 1985 for £350, and from the collections of Hajo Zwager, Van Zadelhof, Maastricht, 14 October 1985, M102 (the entire collection) and Apostolo Zeno, III, Dorotheum, 26 March 1957, 3593. Interestingly enough, this bright, beautiful coin first came into a modern collection in the second quarter of the 18th century!
1389
1389 Thessalian League. Mid 40s BC. Half-stater or drachm (Silver, 2.88 g 12), Nikokrates, Philoxenides and Petraios. Laureate head of Apollo to right; behind and below head, ΝΙΚΟΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ. Rev. ΘΕΣΣΑ / ΛΩΝ Artemis striding right, wearing long chiton and holding torch in each hand; above, ΦΙΛ -ΟΞΕ; in exergue, monogram of ΠΕΤΡΑ. De Luynes 1879 = Klose p. 350, O. Very rare. Toned but with somewhat rough surfaces. Good very fine. 175 The apparently lower quality silver used for this coin is similar to that used for the drachms signed by Aga... (lot 1387 above), and indicates that they may be contemporary in date.