CoinImages

Coins of Greece & the Islands

Islands off Attica, Aegina. AR Stater, circa 525-480 BC. Obv: Sea turtle, head in profile, with thick collar [and makers mark on its back]. Rev: Incuse square of 'Union Jack' pattern with three sections filled.

There are a number of ancient sources which contradict the current numismatic understanding of coinage originating in Lydia and instead attribute it to Aeginetan coins struck by Pheidon. One such can be found on the Parian marble, a stone stele inscribed around 264 BC and found on the island of Parus. A fragment found in the Ashmoelian museum has the following text: "From the time of the Argive Ph[ei]don mad[e] [the] meas[ures] public [and] determined [we]ights and produced silver coins in Aegina, being eleventh from Heracles, 631 years. when [Pherecl]es was king of Athens." The date provided in this inscription is equivalent to 895 BC. The marble provides a chronological sequence of events running from 1581 BC through to 264 BC and the later dates provide a good match with the historical evidence; however the earlier dates are suspect. Nevertheless, even if the date is incorrect, this inscription comes earlier in relation to the subsequent lines referring to Alyattes - From the time A[lyatte]s [be]came kin[g] over the Lyd[ians], 41 years (=605 BC), when Aristocles was archon in Athens. Strabo references Ephorus [Ephorus of Cyme c. 400 – 330 BC was an ancient Greek historian known for his universal history] "silver was first coined in Aegina, by Pheidon; for the island, he adds, became a merchant centre, since, on account of the poverty of the soil, the people employed themselves at sea as merchants." The output of coinage of Aegina in the early period was huge and was struck on the Aeginetic standard of 12.2g to the didrachm stater. The silver for these staters was probably the island of Siphnos, whose silver mines were at the height of their production in the 6th century BC, though much silver probably also came through trade. The coins have a consistent type of a Mediterranean sea turtle on the obverse and a punch on the reverse when the island of Aegina was the supreme sea power among the Greek city-states. After its defeat by Athens in 458 BC, Aegina ceased using the sea turtle and substituted the land tortoise. Dating is this coin is problematic as there was an overlap in styles, plus because of the wear on the coin it is unclear whether it had spots on the spine that have worn off or whether it was smooth-shelled; nor is it clear if the inclusions are incomplete due to clipping. Earliest date possibly 525 BC with latest about 480 BC.

Attica, Athens, AR tetradrachm with test strike. c420 BC. Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right. Rev: AΘE, Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig behind. 23.4mm 17.31g

The well known tetradrachm type of the head of Athena paired with an owl on the reverse occurs very early in Athenian coinage - first archaic type of Athenian owls started around 512 BC - and we know they were referred to as owls at the time as Aristophanes mentions them in his Birds " "Firstly, the owls of Laurium, which every judge desires above all things". These Attic weight coins (17.2g tetradrachms) remained substantially the same in design until around 165 BC, with stylistic changes for the most part. Beginning in 165 BC the Athenian mint remodelled the traditional tetradrachm. The flans grow gradually thinner and broader and on the last issues of the series the owl is perched on an overturned amphora and the entire reverse is surrounded by an olive wreath. This coinage provides the transition from the old Athenian silver coinage to what is regularly described as New Style coinage. This coin is in the classical style on the Attic standard (previous styles were Archaic and Transitional). In contrast to archaic owls, Athena's helmet on classical owls is decorated with a floral scroll, sometimes called a palmette (stylized palm leaf), as well as three olive leaves, and the reverse includes a crescent moon (probably referring to the battle of Salamis), so we know this coin is classical rather than archaic. My guess is a classical owl type A or B. The weight remained remarkably consistent over hundreds of years and this one at 17.21g falls right in the median. The inscription “ΑΘΕ” is an abbreviation of ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΝ, “of the Athenians”. This coin has a test strike, which was used to determine if the coin was entirely silver. From the Athenian coinage decree "; but if it is [bronze at the core,] or lead at the core, or counterfeit, let him cut it across [immediately] ".

Attica, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 33 mm, 16.90 g, 12 h), 140/39. Obv: Head of Athena Parthenos to right, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet adorned with Pegasos and long tendril on the bowl, and with the foreparts of four horses above the visor. Rev: A-ΘE Owl standing facing on Amphora; to left, monogram; to right, aphlaston above monogram; in exergue, ΣΦ; all within laurel wreath.

The well known tetradrachm type of the head of Athena paired with an owl on the reverse occurs very early in Athenian coinage - first archaic type of Athenian owls started around 512 BC - and we know they were referred to as owls at the time as Aristophanes mentions them in his Birds " "Firstly, the owls of Laurium, which every judge desires above all things". These Attic weight coins (17.2g tetradrachms) remained substantially the same in design until around 165 BC, with stylistic changes for the most part. Beginning in 165 BC the Athenian mint remodelled the traditional tetradrachm. The flans grow gradually thinner and broader and on the last issues of the series the owl is perched on an overturned amphora and the entire reverse is surrounded by an olive wreath. This coinage provides the transition from the old Athenian silver coinage to what is regularly described as New Style coinage. This coin is an example of this new style tetradrachm. The general style of a design surrounded by an olive wreath is known as stephanephoroi (wreath bearers). The owl on the reverse stands on an upturned amphora on the tetradrachms and drachms, and on a club on the hemidrachms. This coinage was struck until the 40s BC, with brief interlude due to the sack of Athens by Sulla in 86 BC.

Boeotia, Tanagra. Obol (early-mid 4th century BC). Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: ΤΑ Forepart of a horse to right. Weight: 0.86g. Diameter: 9.5mm.

Tanagra was a town in ancient Boeotia, situated on the left bank of the Asopus River and well known for its wine production. In Greek mythology, Tanagra was associated with the nymph Tanagra, daughter of either Aeolus or the river-god Asopus and Metope. The gods Hermes and Ares even competed in a boxing match for her. The original Phoenician inhabitants of Tangara were said to have been driven out by the migration of Aiolic Greek peoples from Thessaly, who later become the Boeotians of the historic period. The citizens of Tangara were described by one ancient author as wealthy but frugal farmers with an honest and hospitable character who had little involvement in the manufacturing trades (which is a bit contrary to its reputation for fine pottery figurines). Tangara started minting coins on the Aeginetic standard (12g to the didrachm stater) in the mid-fifth century BC. Around the middle of the century the reverse type of a protome of a galloping horse appears, accompanied by the standard Boeotian shield in the obverse. There is a break in production in the late fifth century and we see coins again being minted in the early fourth century BC, of which this coin is an example.

Boiotia, Thebes AR Drachm. Circa 525-480 BC. Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: Incuse square with counter-clockwise mill-sail pattern. 5.82g, 15mm.

Silver coinage was first struck in Thebes at the end of the 6th century on the Aiginetic standard (12.2g didrachm stater). This drachm was listed as 5.82g but is in fact 6.33g, so actually a bit heavy for standard. The coinage follows the same pattern as that of Aegina with the earliest coins (Head period I) having a reverse divided into eight triangular compartments (4 incuse, 4 in relief). This coin is of Head period II and the reverse has been altered to have a 'mill sail incuse pattern, although this coin does not have the mint mark in the centre of the reverse as per the Head type. Interestingly Hoover places the anepigraphic drachms as earlier than those with the mint mark.

Boeotia, Thebes. Circa 395-338 BC. Stater (Silver, 23 mm, 11.95 g), Charo..., magistrate, circa 379-368. Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev. ΨΑ-RO Amphora; above, ivy wreath; all within shallow incuse.

Silver coinage was first struck in Thebes at the end of the 6th century on the Aiginetic standard (12.2g didrachm stater) and by the 5th century the type was consistently the boeotian shield coupled with an amphora for all denominations. Later in the 5th century the obols and triobols included a karanthos on the reverse, with smaller fractions having a variety of motifs. From the end of the Corinthian war (395–387 BC) magistrates names were included on the reverse and in parallel with this silver fractions become much rarer. This is an example of a coin from this later period, including the magistrates name.

Boeotia, Thespiai. Obol (4th century BC). Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: ΘΕΖΠΙ. Two horizontal crescents back to back. Weight: 0.70 g. Diameter: 10 mm.

Thespiai was an ancient Greek city in Boeotia in Central Greece, at the foot of Mount Helicon, the mythical home of the Muses. It was home to the Thespian Festival, an important religious and artistic event. The festival was dedicated to the Muses, and it included dramatic competitions and choral performances. It was also the home of the poet Hesiod (c 750-650 BC), the author of Theogony, which set out the archaic Greek understanding of the Gods. Thespiae send a contingent of 700 hoplites to fight at Thermopylae, who remained to fight beside the Spartans on the final day of the battle. As a consequence of this the Persians destroyed the city and it was rebuilt after the battle of Plataea. The first silver coinage was minted in Thespiai in the mid-5th century on the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachm) in line with the shield-amphora types of the league but including a crescent moon. Coinage halted until the early fourth century BC when it reappears as fractions on the same standard, now featuring a single or double crescent on the reverse - this coin is one of those issues. At 0.70g the coin is light for the standard. Unrelated, perhaps the most famous and richest prostitute who ever lived, Phryne (more than Rhodopis?), was born in Thespiai. She made her living in Athens and once bared her breasts at a trial.

Corinthia, Corinth. Silver drachm, circa 350-285 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying right, Ϙ below. Rev: head of Aphrodite right with hair in sakkos. Die Axis: 9h. Diameter: 13 mm. Weight: 2.31 g

Corinthia, Corinth. Circa 500-450 BC. Stater (Silver, 20 mm, 8.43 g, 12 h). Obv: Ϙ Pegasos with curled wing flying to right. Rev. Helmeted head of Athena to right; behind, crescent and Ϙ; all within incuse square.

Corinth was one of the first mainland Greek cities to adopt coinage on a local standard of 8.6g to the tri-drachm stater. After a period of evolution, the types on the coins of Corinth remain fixed from the second half of the fifth century through to the end of the fourth century BC, coming to an end with the restoration of Cassander to Corinth in 307 BC. This takes the form of Pegasus in flight on the obverse and Athena in a Corinthian helmet on the reverse. Corinthian civic coinage is marked with the archaic letter Koppa, the first letter of the name of the city. This coin illustrates part of that evolution, with the most notable difference from the final settled type is that the wings of Pegasus are curled round rather than pointed. The image of Athena is also of an archaic style and enclosed within an incuse punch. Calciati lists this as falling into the third transitionary period (third class) where the earlier swastika punch reverse is being replaced by the head of Athena. This would bring the date back to between 450 and 415 BC, though in pure stylistic terms this coin feels more archaic that the comparative examples of the Athenian owls. This coin also seems to be at the beginning of the use of ancillary symbols and the crescent here is reminiscent of the crescent which appears on the Athenian owls from around 490 BC onwards (though reversed). This coin was sold in Nomos Obolos auction in 2022 (25.178)

Euboea. Euboean League. Ca. 304-290 BC. AR drachm (16mm, 4.66 gm, 12h). Obv: Head of the nymph Euboea left, hair rolled, wearing triple-pendant earring. Rev: EY, filleted head of bull right; bunch of grapes to right.

Kallias of Chalcis revived the original Boeotian league ( 371-357 BC) in around 341, supported by Athens and intended to be a bulwark against the growing power of Macedonia. Coinage for this iteration of the league was minted on the Attic standard (17.2g tetradrachm). This failed in 338 BC with the defeat of Athens (and the league) at the battle of Chaeronea. In the wars of the Diadochi following the death of Alexander III Euboea fell under the control of Demetrios Poliorcetes, who proclaimed the 'freedom of the Greeks' in 304 BC. This was quickly terminated by the his defeat by Cassander in 301 BC and the Euboean league again disintegrated, with numismatic evidence placing its demise to the mid 3rd century BC. This coin is from the period following the declaration of the 'freedom on the Greeks' and is minted on the Nesiotic standard (7.2g didrachm), also known as the Islands standard due to its use by Euboea and other Cycladic islands. This coin was purchased slabbed where it was described as weighing 4.66g. In fact it weighs 3.68g which makes more sense as 4.66g does not really fit into the expected standard either of the league under Kallias (Attic) or under Demetrios (Nesiotic or reduced Attic). W.P. Wallace in ANS Numismatic Notes and Monologues 134 places the date of this issue slightly earlier at 340-338 BC, differentiated by the grapes in the reverse right field. It is noted as one of the smaller issues and is quite variable in weight, though clustering around 3.65g, so exactly right for this coin. The purpose of the symbol is not known.

Illyria, Apollonia. Drachm, 250-48 BC, 3.24g 17.0mm Obv: Maarkos (magistrate) above cow standing left suckling calf, monogram below. Rev: AΠOΛ ΛYΣHNOΣ around double stellate pattern.

Apollonia was founded around 600 BC as a trading settlement by Ancient Greek colonists from Corinth after an invitation by local Illyrians [Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, 1.26]. Its location on the coast of the Ionian sea opposite Calabria in Southern Italy meant it a situated on the trade route between Brundisium and Northern Greece. It was incorporated into the Epierote kingdom of Phyrrus during his wars in Italy and, having gained independence was made a free city under Roman protection. The first coinage of Apollonia was minted on the Corinthian standard (8.6g tridrachm stater) in the mid-fourth century using the types of its parent city, but having the name of the people 'the Apolloniatans' as a legend. Shortly after this it started to produce staters on the Korkyrian standard of 10.6g to the tridrachm stater, imitating the cow suckling calf/stellate patten type of Korkyra and retaining the legend of the Corinthian types. These standards were replaced by one based on a drachm of 3.4g in the late third century (similar to to the Roman victoriatus) - this coin - and by the mid-first century BC this was replaced by the use of a new standard based on the Roman denarius (3.9g). The coins from the Victoriatus standard feature the name of a magistrate on the obverse, in this case Maarkos. Interestingly the Hoover reference for this type [HGC 3.4] has the illustration of the coin above with this magistrate, but does not include the name of Maarkos in the description.

Lesbos, Mytilene circa 521-478 BC. Sixth Stater or Hekte EL. 11 mm, 2.56 g. Obv: Head of a ram to right; below, rooster standing right, pecking at the ground; to lower right, [ΛΕ]. Rev: Incuse head of a bull to right.

Mytilene started production of electrum coinage in around 530 BC on the Phokaic standard (16.10g stater) and by the end of the century only the hecte was being minted. Mytilene was one of the few cities which continued to mint electrum coinage after the Lydians moved to a separate gold and silver coinage in the mid-sixth century BC (the others being Phokia, Kyzikos, Miletos, Kyme and a few smaller poleis). The coinage is typically anepigraphic but this one may be an exception, with the tip of the lambda of an abbreviated city name [ΛΕ] just visible on bottom right field of the obverse. Whilst Hoover does not note any variations of this type [HGC 6.954] with legends there are examples on acsearch.info which have one, though all have either part or a whole Λ, no E.

Islands off Ionia, Samos. Circa 512 BC. AR Triobol (10mm, 1.48 g, 12h). Samian standard. Obv: Head of panther facing within pelleted square. Rev: Head of ox left in linear and pelleted border within incuse square.

Samos was the earliest of the Greek island cities to produce electrum coinage, minting it on the Euboic standard (17.4g tetradrachm). Interestingly there is an associated issue of lead staters which is rumoured to be linked to the Spartan siege of Samos in 525BC, the story being that the Samians paid them off in lead staters and the Spartans were so naïve about coinage that they didn't realise they were not electrum. Silver coinage was introduced in the sixth century along with the electrum issues, first on the Euboic standard and then on the Milesian standard (14.4g tetradrachm). These coins introduced the lions scalp type. Later in the century the silver denominations were fully fleshed out and was being produced on an heavy Samian standard of a 6.65g didrachm stater, with a single type of lions head and ox (or ox forepart). In the last decade of the century this had further reduced to 6.54g. This coin is an example of a triobol of the period (standard weight would be 1.63g). This standard continued down to 412 BC although the minting of drachms was halted.

Macedonia, Alexander I (498-454 BC). Tetrobol. Obv: Horse prancing right. Rev: Crested helmet right within linear border within incuse square. Weight: 1,97 g Diameter: 14 mm.

Alexander I came to power in 497 BC and was firmly in under the influence of the Persians, recognising the authority of Xerxes I, and supporting him in his conflict with the Greeks after the Ionian revolt to the extent that he campaigned with the Persian general Mardonios during the first Persian invasion in 480 BC. He contrived to change sides following their defeat, styling himself as a true Greek on the uncertain basis that the Argead house descended from Temenos, a son of Heracles of Argos. Heroditus describes Alexander's bit to compete in the Olympic games as a Greek 'Alexander, however, proved his Argive descent, and so was accepted as a Greek and allowed to enter the foot race. He came in equal first'. He died in 454 BC. Alexander was the first Macedonian king to mint coinage in his own name, with the mint at Aigai. Two Thracian-Macedonian standards were in use concurrently - the heavy standard (29.5g Octadrachm) and light standard (13.1g Tetradrachm. The heavy standard appears to have been used for international trade whilst the light standard was used locally, including for trade with Athens (it would have been the same weight as an Attic tridrachm). This coin is on the light standard, though it is light even for that at 2.00g rather than 2.18g. The relief on the reverse on the coin is very shallow, which is a bit worrying. It is also anepigraphic i.e. no inscriptions or ethnic.

Macedonia, First Meris AR Tetradrachm. Amphipolis, circa 167-149 BC. Obv: Diademed and draped bust of Artemis to right, bow and quiver over shoulder, in the centre of a Macedonian shield. Rev: Club; monogram and MAKEΔONΩN above, ΠPΩTHΣ and two monograms below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left. 16.89g, 33mm, 12h.

While a Roman protectorate, the Macedonian meris continued to mint coins on the Attic standard (17.2g tetradrachms), mostly in the first meris at Amphipolis, but also a more limited issue in the second meris (Thessalonika). The third and fourth merides did not produce silver coinage but the fourth did produce some bronze coinage. The initial first meris issue featured the head of Zeus paired with Artemis Tauropolis (bull riding). before being replaced with the type of the head of Artemis on a Macedonian shield with an obverse of a club within an oak wreath. This coin is an example of that later issue by the first meris. The coin is very light at 16.93g, which is fine as by this time the Attic standard had fallen to around 17.0g and indeed within the Hellenistic period it would decline further to 16.8g. The legend on the reverse reads 'the Macedonians of the first [meris]'.

Macedonia, Eion. Circa 480-470 BC. AR diobol (0,83 g). Obv: Goose stepping left, head right, lizard above. A in lower left field. Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.

Eion was situated at the mouth of the Strymon River which flows into the Aegean from the interior of Thrace and, according to Hoover, was originally settled by colonists from Paros and probably Thasos as well. There is not a lot of information available on its early history, but given its location it probably operated as a trading post for those cities. Heroditus mentions it as a location that was used by Xerxes to store provisions during his invasion of Greece. After the establishment of the Delian League it was captured in 476 BC by the Athenian general Cimon, who started a siege on the city. Refusing Cimon's offer of an honourable withdrawal, the Persian commander Boges destroyed the treasure, killed his family, and committed suicide as the food ran out. Cimon turned the course of the River Strymon so that it flowed against the city walls, causing the mud brick fortifications to dissolve. The inhabitants were enslaved. The Athenians then established Amphipolis and Eion became the port of that city, and remained a dependency of it through the fourth century. It was destroyed by the Athenians in around 357 BC, perhaps to deny this strategic port to the advancing Macedonians. Eion was one of the few Thracian cities to have minted coins from electrum on the Phokaian standard (2.68g hecte). The silver coins it produced in the fifth century BC were minted on the Attic standard (17.2g Tetradrachms), with the largest fraction produced being the drachm. This coin is listed as a diobol, however given the weight it is almost certainly an obol or a trihemiobol as it's weight sits between the two (0.86g against an obol of 0.72g and a trihemiobol of 1.00g). Ex Emporium Hamburg, auction 5, 31.10.1985

Macedonia, Olynthos. Chalcidian League (432-348 BC). AR Tetrobol, 2.26 g, 16 mm Obv: Head of Apollo left
Rev: Lyre in incuse, Χ-Α-Λ-ΚΙΔ-ΕΩΝ.

In the years leading up to the Peloponnesian wars, more than forty cities in the Chalcidic peninsula on the southern shore of Macedonia paid tribute to Athens. The Chalcidian League was formed at the time of the revolt of some of these cities Athens in 432 BC (under the prompting of Perdiccas of Macedon according to Allen B West in his paper on The Formation of the Chalcidic League). The documentary evidence would suggest that this was a close federation as the individual cities are rarely mentioned and the contemporary historian Thucydides refers to the federation, for example "the Potidæans, thus favoured by the moment, at last entered into league with the Chalcidians and Bottiaeans, and revolted" [Histories, book 1 chap 2]. The seat of the Chalcidian league was at Olynthos, which minted all Chalcidian League coinage. The league they altered their coinage standard, moving from the Attic-Euboïc standard used by Athens, to the light Thraso-Macedonian standard (14.1g tetradrachm). The coinage principally consists of silver tetradrachms and tetrobols. This coin is an example of one of those Tetrobols and is just about right for the standard (2.26g rather than 2.35g). The predominant type has on the obverse the head of the god Apollo, and on the reverse a kithara (note it is described as a lyre here but the kithara was a seven stringed version used by professional rather than rustic musicians).

Thessaly, Thessalian League. AR-Stater, late 2nd - mid-1st century BC, magistrates Cephalos and Themisto(...) Obv: Head of Zeus with laurel wreath on the right. Rev: Athena Itonia striding with shield and lance on the right. 6.06 g.

In early 2nd century BC, the Romans defeated Macedonia, and the victorious general Quinctius Flaminius declared that those Greek areas formerly under Macedonian control (including Thessaly) were now free. Moreover, Flamininus re-established the Thessalian League along the pre-Macedonian borders and then some; this new version was granted autonomy, including minting of its own coinage. The coins of the re-established Thessalian League all bore the ethnic ΘEΣΣAΛΩN, along with the responsible magistrates' names, and were likely minted at Larissa, the League’s capital. This stater, also equivalent to the Roman Republic denomination of a double victoriatus, was a classic issue of the Thessalian League. It was produced in late 2nd to mid-1st century BC under the magistrates of Cephalos and Themisto(...). ex Coll. Dr. Fritz; Cologne Coin Cabinet, Auction 4, 1969, Lot 26

Thessaly, Kierion, AR Trihemiobol. Late 4th century BC. Obv: Head of nymph Arne to right. Rev: Arne kneeling to right, head to left, playing knuckle bones; KIEPI-EIΩN around. 1.43g, 14mm, 9h.

Silver coinage begins at Kierion in the mid-fifth century BC and according to Hoover, after a hiatus in minting during the mid-fourth century BC, production seems to have resumed in the late 4th Century BC with two series of Aiginetic-weights issues. What appears to the be earlier of the two involves trihemiobols pairing the head of Arna with her full figure playing knucklebones and obols featuring a prancing horse and a hero derived from depictions of Ajax on contemporary issues of Opountian Lokris. This coin is an example of the former with the name KIEPI-EIΩN in the reverse field.

Thessaly, Larissa. Drachm. Approx. 356 - 320 BC. Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa with ampyx (woman's diadem) en face, turned slightly to the left. Rev: Horse, grazing, standing right, left foreleg raised. 19mm 6.11g

Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage in the late fifth century BC minted on the Aeginetan standard (12.2g to the didrachm stater). From about 400 BC the previous types (such as Jason and bull-wrestling) were replaced with the obverse depicted the local water nymph, Larissa. These coins are typically broken up into early, middle and late facing head types, where this is an example of a late facing head (three quarter facing left). The weight is exact for the type at 6.11g. The full ethnic would be [Λ]APIΣ [A]IΩN. From the collection of numismatist Prof. Dr. Peter Robert Franke (recipient of the Silver medal Royal Numismatic Society, London, 1988. d. 2018)

Thessaly, Larissa. Circa 380-365 BC. AR Drachm (19.5mm, 6.16 g, 9h). Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left. Rev: Mare and foal standing right.

Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage in the late fifth century BC. From about 400 BC the previous types (such as Jason and bull-wrestling) were replaced with the obverse depicted the local water nymph, Larissa. The reverse depicted a horse in various poses (the horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well known for its horses). These coins were minted on the Aeginetan standard (12.2g to the didrachm stater). This coin is of the 'middle facing head' series, which describes the aspect of the head of Larissa (L-S Series VI, Type C), and uses the same dies as the reference Ashmolean 3879. The obverse has Larissa wearing an ampyx (a slender band encircling the brow), while the reverse is an unusual type of a mare and foal.

Thessaly, Skotussa (circa 465-460 BC) AR Hemidrachm (13mm, 3.08g, 11h). Obv: Forepart of horse right, Rev: Germinating barley-grain surrounded by S-K-O ethnic, all within incuse square, 3.08g. From The 'Kyrios' Collection

Skotussa was an ancient Thessalian town and polis and its early history is obscure. It lay between the cities of Pherae and Pharsalus, near the frontiers of Phthiotis and its wealth derived from grain. An inscription from between 197 and 185 BC describes a walled city with a number of towers re-enforcing it. Although not mentioned in Homer’s works, some accounts suggest that the oracle of Dodona in Epirus originally came from Skotussa. In antiquity it was most famous for a shrine to Zeus. At the end of the fifth century BC it was being threated both by the expanding territory of the tyrant Jason of Pherai and the hegemony of the Spartans. To combat this it allied with the Boeotian league and fought against Sparta in the Corinthian war of 395-387 BC. However it was unsuccessful in fending off Pherai and fell under its influence. Their continued resistance to Jason's son Alexander of Pherai cost them dearly. In 367 BC he gathered all the citizens in the main theatre and massacred them. The silver coinage of Skotussa was struck from the mid-fifth century BC in the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachm), placing this coin as one of the earliest issues. The protome of a horse coupled with the grain of barley on the hemi-drachm reflects the same pairing on the drachm of the period, which was the largest denomination minted. A die match was sold at Triton VII in 2005 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=206139

Thessaly, Trikka AR Hemidrachm. Circa 440-400 BC. Obv: Thessalos, nude but for petasos and cloak tied at neck, holding band around head of forepart of bull to right. Rev: Forepart of bridled horse to right; ΤΡΙ-Κ-ΚΑI-ΟΝ (retrograde) around; all within shallow incuse square. 2.87g, 17mm, 8h.

As with other members of the Thessalian league Trikka struck fractional silver coins on the Aiginetic standard of 12.2g to the didrachm stater from the middle of the fifth century BC. This coin illustrates the most common type of that period, with a hero (assumed to be Thessalos) wrestling a bull on the obverse, and the foreparts of a horse on the reverse. Thessalos is wearing a petasos, a broad brimmed hat of Thessalian origin often worn in combination with the chlamys cape, tied around the neck. As with other cities in Thessaly, horses were important to the people of Trikka as noted by Homer "round about him were the stalwart ranks of the shield-bearing hosts that followed him from Trikka, the pastureland of horses." (Iliad, 4.200). This coin has the retrograde name of the people in the reverse field ΤΡΙ-Κ-ΚΑI-ΟΝ.

Thracian Chersonese - Hemidrachm or tetrobole Obv: Protome of a lion leaping to the right, turning its head to the left. Rev: Quadripartite hollow square with two hollow and two relief sections, decorated with a globule, and an insect Reverse legend: Date: c 350 BC Mint name / Town : Cardia, Thrace Diameter: 13 mm Orientation dies: 6 h Weight: 2.35 g

Chersonesos started to mint coins at the end of the 6th century on the Attic standard (17.2g tetradrachm). The type was a lion advancing with a reverted head on the obverse and Athena on the reverse. The lion was also a symbol of Miletus and one theory is that Miltiades used this type in support of the Ionian revolt, in which Miletus was a major contributor. Hemidrachms and smaller fractions have the same lion obverse with punch reverse. In the 4th century hemidrachms were struck on the Persic standard (4.8g to the siglos), possibly to fund the ongoing contention between Athens and Phillip II over the peninsula. This coin is an example of one of those hemidrachms.

Thrace, Maroneia. Tetradrachm (Circa 189/8-49/5 BC).Obv: Head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: ΔIONYΣOY / ΣΩTHPOΣ / MAPΩNITΩN. Dionysos standing left, holding grape bunch and narthex stalks. Controls: monogram to inner left and inner right. Weight: 15.67 g. Diameter: 32 mm.

The autonomous coinage of Maroneia was halted when it fell under the control of the Macedonian empire of Phillip II in 348 BC and it did not regain regain a measure of independence until the fall of Perseus in the Third Macedonian War. From this point it produced a vast coinage of tetradrachms on a reduced Attic standard of a 16.45g tetradrachm. This coin is underweight even for that reduced standard however a quick check on acsearch.info suggests that the weight frequently fell below 16.0g, perhaps just poor quality control due to the volume of coinage being minted . Angela Berthold (Corpus Numorum Online) points out that the resemblance of these tetradrachms those of Thasos is obvious. On Thasos we see also the head of youthful Dionysus on the obverse and the reverse shows Herakles in a very similar manner resting his hand on a club instead of holding grapes. There are two monograms on the coin, which is common, and the text translates as Dionysus, saviour of Maroneia.

Thrace, Pantikapaion. Æ 310-304 BC. Obv: : head of satyr facing right. Rev: Π-Α-Ν, griffin protome facing left, including sturgeon.

Pantikapaion was founded by Milesians in the late 7th or early 6th century BC on the eastern shore of Crimea, which the Greeks called Taurica. The city minted silver coins from the 5th century BC on the Phoenician standard (14.5g Tetradrachm), and gold and bronze coins from the 4th century BC. In the 5th–4th centuries BC, the city became the residence first of the Archaeanactids ( a Greek dynasty of the Kingdom of Bosporus that ruled in 480–438 BC) and then of the Spartocids (thought to be Thracian in origin, perhaps mercenaries for the Archaeanactids). The last of the Spartocids, Paerisades V, apparently left his realm to Mithridates VI Eupator, king of Pontus. It survived into the first century BC when it was partially destroyed by an earthquake and was subjected to raids by surrounding tribes. The obverse of this bronze coin from Pantikapaion in Thrace is the head of satyr facing right which is mostly identified as Pan (though I have seen Silenus as an alternative); the reverse is the head of a griffin, a chimerical creature with the front of an eagle and the back of a lion, facing left with the letters Π and Α surrounding (this would have completed with N) and underneath it a fish (resembling a sturgeon, which was common in Cimmerian waters at the time). At the time this coin was minted the king of Pantikapaion would have been Eumelos, a rival to Lysimachus.

Attica, Athens. Circa 430s-420s BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 17.19 g, 4 h). Obv: Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Rev. AΘE Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square.

Attica, Athens. Circa 450-404 BC. AR drachm (16mm, 4.13 gm, 7h). Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three laurel leaves and vine scroll. Rev: AΘE, owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig with berry behind, all within incuse square.

The well known tetradrachm type of the head of Athena paired with an owl on the reverse occurs very early in Athenian coinage - first archaic type of Athenian owls started around 512 BC - and we know they were referred to as owls at the time as Aristophanes mentions them in his Birds " "Firstly, the owls of Laurium, which every judge desires above all things". These Attic weight coins (17.2g tetradrachms) remained substantially the same in design until around 165 BC, with only stylistic changes for the most part. The value of a tetradrachm was too high for daily transactions (about 4 days wages for a semi-skilled worker) and the Athenian mint struck didrachms, drachms and smaller fractions for local use from the 5th century BC. This coin is an example of Star 1970, Group V and is slightly underweight at 4.17g - a drachm should be 4.3g according to the references, however a quick scan of historic auctions sees the weights clustering quite tightly around 4.2g and so this one is pretty close to the norm. These fractions almost invariably feature the head of Athena paired with a semi-profile or facing owl. The only exception is the tiny tetartemorion, which replaced the owl with an olive spray on the reverse. This coin shares its type with the more famous tetradrachm in the mid-mass style (you can get archaic style drachms).

Boeotia, Orchomenos, circa 475-425 BC. AR Obol (8mm, 0.81 g.). Obv: Wheat grain, sprouting end upward; E-P across central field. Rev: Aeginetan-style skew pattern incuse.

Orchomenos was the earliest city in Boeotia to mint coins, which were fractions on the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachms). The worn grain image on these does remind you of the contemporary coins of Aegina, including the 'mill sail' and 'skew' patterns on the reverse which in this case seem more contrived than those Aeginetan punch marks and so more evidently tributes. According to Hoover by the end of the fifth century BC the obol had virtually disappeared in favour of the tritetartemorion. This coin was listed as 0.81g but I measure it as 0.89g. An obol of the Aeginetic standard would be just over a gramme, whereas the a tritetartemorion would be 0.72g. This coin is just between the two.

Boeotia, Thebes. AR-Stater, 480 - 460 BC; 11.88 g. Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: Incuse square with 'mill-sail' device. archaic Θ.

Silver coinage was first minted at Thebes on the Aeginetic standard (12.2g stater) towards the end of the sixth century BC. These featured the Boeotian shield on the obverse and several types of incuse punch marks on the reverse. In the early fifth century BC the epichoric form of the initial letter of the ethnic was included in the centre. This coin is an example of that type. It is light at 11.88g but that can be attributed to the obvious silver loss through wear. Barclay Head splits the chronology of Boeotian coins into 16 period, with this coin being period 2, though his dating is earlier than that accepted by later numismatists. In this period the centre of the incuse reverse will have a different symbol dependent on the city of the federation that minted it.

Boeotia. Thebes. Silver stater, circa 425-395 BC. Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: bearded head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy-wreath; Θ-Ε across fields; all within incuse square.

Silver coinage was first struck in Thebes at the end of the 6th century on the Aiginetic standard (12.2g didrachm stater) and by the 5th century the type was consistently the boeotian shield coupled with an amphora for all denominations. According to Hoover, the Theban typology was revised in the last quarter of the fifth and early fourth centuries BC to feature the bearded head of Dionysios (B.V. Head Period VI). This is an example of a coin of this type and is very close to the Aiginetic standard at 12.1g. The coin is described as having a test cut on the obverse, however this does not seem to be deep enough to be a test cut, or was a very tentative one. There are also two very faint cuts on the reverse just below the head, which seems to have been struck with a knife or other implement. Maybe an owner was not happy with the gods (especially Dionysos) and we have a symbolic decapitation. Two strikes which fouled on the edges of the incuse square, and then a deliberate swipe at the obverse.

Boeotia, Thebes. Circa 425-375 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 12 mm, 2.61 g). Obv: Boeotian shield. Rev: ΘE-BH Kantharos; above, club to right.

Silver coinage was first struck in Thebes at the end of the 6th century on the Aiginetic standard (12.2g didrachm stater) and by the 5th century the type was consistently the boeotian shield coupled with an amphora for all denominations. Later in the 5th century the obols and triobols included a karanthos on the reverse, with smaller fractions having a variety of motifs. This coin is an example of the Shield/karanthos type, including a magistrates name which would seem to push it later in the range, as it was from the end of the Corinthian war (395–387 BC) magistrates names were included on the reverse and in parallel with this silver fractions become much rarer.

Boeotia, Thespiai. Early-mid 4th century BC. Obol (Silver, 11 mm, 0.84 g, 2 h). Boeotian shield. Rev. ΘΕΣ Crescent composed of three lines.

Thespiai was an ancient Greek city in Boeotia in Central Greece, at the foot of Mount Helicon, the mythical home of the Muses. It was home to the Thespian Festival, an important religious and artistic event. The festival was dedicated to the Muses, and it included dramatic competitions and choral performances. It was also the home of the poet Hesiod (c 750-650 BC), the author of Theogony, which set out the archaic Greek understanding of the Gods. Thespiae send a contingent of 700 hoplites to fight at Thermopylae, who remained to fight beside the Spartans on the final day of the battle. As a consequence of this the Persians destroyed the city and it was rebuilt after the battle of Plataea. The first silver coinage was minted in Thespiai in the mid-5th century on the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachm) in line with the shield-amphora types of the league but including a crescent moon. Coinage halted until the early fourth century BC when it reappears as fractions on the same standard, now featuring a single or double crescent on the reverse - this coin is one of those issues with a single crescent. At 0.84g this coins is slightly lighter than you would expect (1.00g), though checking on acsearch.info this coin is on the heavier side than those coming to market. The silver coinage ended during the 4th century BC.

Corinthia, Corinth. Stater (Circa 375-300 BC).Obv: Pegasos flying left; koppa below. Rev: Helmeted head of Athena right. Controls: club and N to left. Weight: 8.74 g. Diameter: 23 mm.

Romolo Calciati in his reference work Pegasi describes the of symbols on the coins of Corinth and its colonies as the most significant iconic aspects of the staters. First appearing in toward the end of Ravel period III (~480 BC) at Ambracia he notes that many of the subjects existing as symbols on Corinthian coins also appear in the Mycenaean 'Linear B' script and he goes on to list 524 different types (a real challenge for a collector!) There are 12 different examples of club provided in this list, with the symbol on this coin being closest in design to 319 (if inverted). It appears on Pegasi 1.358 which is period 4 (405-345 BC) but without the control mark N and stylistically this coin seems later. It also harks back to a coin of Ambracia (II.13) which is of a far more archaic style. So, we know it is from Corinth given the koppa on the reverse, we know that the symbol is listed in one of the major reference works, but unfortunately there is no exact match listed. The weight is correct for the Corinthian standard (8.6g tridrachm). Switching reference, stylistically it is closest to HNG 1846 (Pegasi I 365, 377, 381/2) and Hoover does indicate there may be an N in the right field of the obverse but frustratingly not a club as a symbol for that issue. This pushes its date into the fifth period (345-307 BC). Notwithstanding this may be an undocumented issue, the pairing of the head of Athena with Pegasus is a delightful reference the story of Pegasus, which emerged from the neck of the gorgon Medusa when she was killed by Perseus. Pegasus was later captured by Bellerophon with the aid of a golden bridle gifted to him by Athena. Note that there is a die match to this coin on one sold at Bertolami Fine Arts in 2019 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5598273.

Elis, Olympia. 134th-143rd Olympiad, circa 244-208 BC. Drachm (Silver, 20 mm, 4.64 g, 10 h). Obv: Eagle flying right, grasping the back of a hare with his talons. Rev: F-A Winged thunderbolt with double volutes.

The Olympic festival drew in people from all over the Greek world and in turn Elis produced substantial coinage on the Aiginetic standard (12.2g didrachm stater) from the mid-fifth century. The mints of Elis were rather appropriately known as the 'Zeus' mint at Olympia (others place it at Elis itself) and from 421 the 'Hera' mint, again at Olympia. Before 460 BC the Zeus mint produced coins pairing and eagle/thunderbolt or representation of Nike. Early production at the Hera mint paired the head of Hera with a thunderbolt or eagle but later replaced Hera with an eagle. Elis took over as the mint from 324 BC (which means this coin was minted at Elis rather than Olympia as per the description). In the late third century BC the standard were on a reduced Aiginetic standard of 10.65g didrachm staters. One interesting note is that the local dialect of Elis retained the digamma (F) which had fallen out of use elsewhere, and it can be see on this coin. This drachm is on the reduced Aiginetic standard but it is light even for that (4.66g rather than 4.90g - triobol was 2.45g). However there are comparable drachms of that weight for the period on acsearch.info and so it may be that by 208 BC the standard had reduced further.

Euboia, Chalkis. Circa 338-308 BC. Drachm (Silver, 17 mm, 3.56 g, 10 h). Head of the nymph Chalkis to right, wearing pendant earring and necklace and with her hair rolled. Rev. XAΛ Eagle flying to right with open wings, pecking at snake held in its talons; to right, kerykeion.

Chalkis was one of the earliest cities to start minting coins, with types of a quadriga (stater) and two horsemen (drachm) appearing in the mid-6th century. These had incuse punches on the reverse and were of the Euboean-Attic standard. The type was later changed to an eagle in flight on the obverse and a wheel on the reverse. Production seems to have ceased in the 5th century BC and only reappeared around the date of this coin, which was minted sometime after the defeat of the Athenians and their allies, including Chalkis, by the Macedonians at the battle of Chaeroneia in 338 BC. These coins were minted on a reduced Attic standard, also known as the Nesiotic standard (3.7g drachm). The obverse is the nymph Chalkis, after whom the city was named; the reverse is an eagle holding a serpent - on the hemi-drachm this would be a hare. To the right of the eagle is a kerykeion, or herald's staff, although it is difficult to make out in this example.

Lesbos, Mytilene circa 521-478 BC. Sixth Stater or Hekte EL. 10 mm, 2.54 g. Obv: Lion's head right. Rev: Bull's head right within incuse square.

Mytilene started production of electrum coinage in around 530 BC on the Phokaic standard (16.10g stater) and by the end of the century only the hecte was being minted. Mytilene was one of the few cities which continued to mint electrum coinage after the Lydians moved to a separate gold and silver coinage in the mid-sixth century BC (the others being Phokia, Kyzikos, Miletos, Kyme and a few smaller poleis). The coinage is typically anepigraphic. This coin seems to have a slightly higher gold content which is reflected in the colour of the coin. Flan cracks (sometimes multiple) seem to be fairly common in this type of electrum coinage even though they are quite thick, perhaps due to the allow being softer than pure silver.

Islands off Caria, Rhodes, didrachm c.387-304 BC. Obv: Head of Helios facing, turned slightly right, hair parted in centre and swept to either side. Rev: POΔION, rose with single bud on tendril to right; grape bunch in left field, E to right of stem.

In Pindar's ode, the island was said to be born of the union of Helios the sun god and the nymph Rhodos, and the cities were named for their three sons. These, together with Kos, Cnidus and Halicarnassus (on the mainland) made up the so-called Dorian Hexapolis (Greek for six cities). Over time Rhodes expanded to include other islands such as Telos and Kasos. Rhodes was one of the founding members of the second Athenian Naval League (378 BC) but subsequently allied with Cos, Chios and Byzantion to start the Social war against Athens (357-355 BC). It submitted to Alexander III in 332 BC and was subsequently a focus for the wars of the Diadochi, coming under siege from Demetrios I in 305 BC. To celebrate withstanding this siege the Rhodians built a 35-metre tall statue of Helios, which was subsequently known as the Colossus of Rhodes. Silver coinage on the island was struck on the Chian standard (15.3g tetradrachm) and had the type of Helios/Rose. From the 340s through the third century the Rhodian standard (6.8g didrachm) was used, whilst continuing the previous type. This coins is an example on the Rhodian standard and is 6.75g.

Islands off Troas , Tenedos AR Drachm. Circa 450-387 BC. Obv: Janiform head of female, facing left, and bearded male, facing right Rev: Labrys; grape bunch to lower left, thymiaterion to lower right, TEN-EΔ-I-ΩN around. 3.67g, 16mm, 12h.

The early coinage of Tenedos was minted on the Phocaic standard (16.6g stater) - also used by Lesbos. From the mid-fifth century it moved to the Samian standard (13.08g tetradrachm). The ancillary symbol is a thymiaterion (a type of censer or incense burner). This coin is on the Samian standard and is overweight at 3.67g instead of around 3.27g. This is however absolutely on the weight of other examples available with this symbol. The coin is Ex Classical Numismatic Group Web shop inventory no. 989190. The type of the poleis has a joined male-female head, identified as either Zeus/Hera or Tenes/Hemithea, on the obverse and a double headed axe on the reverse (called a labrys, Greek 'pelekys'). This may be attributed to Dionysius Pelekys, though Aristotle believes it relates to a Tenedian law against adultery, punishable by beheading, while Plutarch as a different view "the inhabitants of Tenedos always kept a consecrated axe, a fancy taken from their esteem of the crabs that breed in that island near the promontory of Asterium, they being the only crabs that carry the figure of an axe upon the upper part of their shells ". The grapes appearing below the pelekys would seem to point to Dionysius and align with the symbology of the nearby island of Thasos, and also Maroneia.

Macedon, Akanthos, Tetrobol, 470-390BC. Obv: Forepart of bull left, head looking back ΠE above; Rev: Shallow quadripartite incuse square

As Acanthas was founded as a colony of Andros, which in turn was a colony of Chalcis, the coinage was originally minted on the Attic-Euboïc standard (17.2g tetradrachm). Acanthus is mentioned briefly by Herodotus [ 7, 124] as a route taken by Xerxes, where "pack-camels were attacked by lions, which came down from their haunts at night and never attacked either the men or any of the other animals, but only the camels". Akanthos is also mentioned by Thucydides and Plutarch, but does not seemed to have sparked much interest otherwise. Nevertheless the workmanship is of high quality and the coins were widely circulated from about 530 BC. There are some nice examples of the tetradrachms of Akanthos featuring a lion attacking a bull at Wildwinds, which have been associated with the quote of Heroditus above. I would find the connection more reasonable if the lions on the tetradrachms were attacking camels rather than bulls though. Tetrobols were minted featuring a lion or bull forepart on the obverse with an incuse square on the reverse. Obols featured the head of Athena, the obols a facing lions head, each with the incuse square on the reverse. In hte late 5th century the standard was changed to the light Thraco-Macedonian standard (14.4g tetradrachm) in response to the increasing influence of the Chalkidian league, but the types remained the same. This coin is an example of the tetrobol of that period.

Macedon, 187-168 BC. AR tetrobol (15mm, 2.12 gm, 1h). Pella or Amphipolis mint. Obv: Macedonian shield with six rotating crescents in boss. Rev: MAKE / ΔONΩN, prow of galley right; P in right field.

This coin is not listed in Hoover but the type can be seen offered by various auction houses attributed to either Philip V or Perseus and issued at the Amphipolis mint. The right field of the reverse often has a single letter mark, either Π, M, N or P ( with an additional pellet in some cases). A couple of auction sites more firmly attribute the mint to Amphipolis. As both these rulers minted on the Attic standard the reference to a tetrobol is a bit of a strange denomination. A standard weight triobol should be around 2.15g and this looks just right for that.

Macedonia, Neapolis, Hemidrachm, 424-350 BC Obv: Facing Gorgoneion. Rev: Nymph head right, legend at right.

The Thasians are the most likely founders of Neapolis, although it has been attributed to the Athenians given the degree of support provided by Neapolis to the Delian league and in the conflicts between Athens and Sparta in the Peloponnesian war. However, this may also be attributed to the attempt to free itself of the influence of its mother city. An interesting support for this view is that after the Thassian revolt from Athens in 411 BC Neapolis requested of Athens that all references to Thasos as its mother city be struck from the records. As a Thassian colony Neapolis minted on the Thassian standard. Neapolis was absorbed into the Macedonian empire under Phillip II and after the Macedonian wars was incorporated first into the first meris under the Romans in 168 BC, and subsequently into the Roman province of Macedonia. The earlier coinage is minted on the Thassian standard (9.8g didrachm stater) until under the coinage decree of Athens the use of the Athenian-Euboïc standard was made mandatory with the sphere of Athenian influence. In the early 3rd century BC it struck drachms and hemidrachms on the Chian standard (3,75g drachm). Hoover places this coin slightly later at 375-350 BC.

Sikyonia, Sikyon. Silver Stater (12.00 g), ca. 335-330 BC. Obv: ΣE below, chimaera prowling left; above, wreath. Rev: Dove flying left; before, I; all within wreath.

Sikyon coinage began on the Aiginetic standard (12.0g didrachm stater) in the middle of the 5th century BC and so this coin is absolutely on standard. Although they are perhaps sometimes underestimated, the staters of Sikyon in the fourth century BC were some of the most important coins struck in the Peloponnese. Without them, the Spartans could not have financed the conflicts with Athens leading up to and during the great Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). The Spartans famously refused to strike any coinage of their own during the Classical period except for iron coins that were useless outside of Lacedaemon and thus Sikyon became a proxy mint for Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Aegina with its widely recognized turtles was lost as a pro-Spartan mint when the Athenians expelled the Aeginetan from their island in 431 BC. While the dove refers to the local cult of Aphrodite, it remains unclear why the chimaera was chosen as the main obverse type for Sicyonian staters.

Thessaly. Thessalian League circa 470-460 BC. Hemidrachm AR.14 mm, 2.97 g. Obv: Forepart of horse right, emerging from rock. Rev: ΘΕ-ΤΑ (retrograde), grain ear within incuse lozenge.

Thessalian league coinage was minted on the Aeginetan standard (12.4g Stater; 6.2g Drachm; 1.0g obol decl.) from the early 5th century BC in the name of all of the cities of the league. No further federal coinage was minted until the very start of the second century BC, with each city instead minting its own issues. The origins of the Thessalian league lies in the Doric Aluad dynasty founded by Aleuas the Red in the late sixth century BC. The intent of the league was to protect these leading Doric families from the original inhabitants of the region. The most immediate thing that I notice with this coin is that it is very similar to the coinage of Skotussa, with only the ethnic marking out are a league coin. Interesting as the seat of Aleuadae power was Larissa, with a minor branch ( the Scopadae) inhabiting Krannon, rather than Skotussa.

Thessaly, Lamia. Hemidrachm (circa 350-300 BC). Obv: Head of Dionysos left, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: ΛΑΜΙΕΩΝ. Amphora; ivy leaf above, prochous with handle to right; all within incuse circle. Weight: 2.61 g. Diameter: 13.5 mm.

According to tradition the city was founded by Malos and named after the local nymph, Lamia. It played an important role due to its strategic location, controlling the narrow coastal plain above Thermopylae that connected southern Greece with Thessaly. It had strong circuit walls and its fortified acropolis contained a temple to Dionysos. It would have fallen to the rising Macedonian empire under Philip II in 353 BC. It does not appear often in the records until it became the centre of the Greek uprising against the Macedonians, earning the revolt the name the Lamian war, an unsuccessful attempt by Athens and a large coalition of Greek states to end the rule of Macedonia over Greece just after the death of Alexander the Great. Its silver coinage is found from the early fourth century and is minted on the Aeginetic standard in common with the rest of Thessaly. The use of Dionysos and the amphora as the type reflects the patron deity of the city. As a side note, the attractive style of this coin (in better condition obviously) made it the target for the infamous 20th century forger, Constantin Christodoulos.

Thessaly, Larissa circa 400-360 BC. Drachm AR. 20 mm, 6.04 g. Obv: Thessalos, with cloak and petasos over his shoulders, leaping left, both feet off the ground, holding a rushing bull by a band around its head. Rev: ΛΑΡΙ / ΣΑΙΑ, bridled horse with trailing rein galloping to right; all within shallow incuse square.

Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage in the late fifth century BC, but continuing to mint on the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachm). The obverse here shows taurokathapasia (bull wrestling) and whilst described as Thessalos, may equally have been Jason - of the argonauts fame - who was the supposed father of Thessalos. The coins of this type are very similar to ones produced in Trikka.

Thessaly, Pharsalos. Late 5th-mid 4th century BC. AR Drachm (19.5mm, 6.00 g, 5h). Dies signed by Telephantos. Helmeted head of Athena right; small TH/IΠ between crest and neck guard. Rev: Warrior, wearing petasos, holding lagobolon over his shoulder, on horseback right; small TH in exergue; all within incuse square

Pharsalos is the supposed mythic location of Homer’s Phthia and birthplace of Achilles. The earliest silver coinage of Pharsalos consisted of fractions minted in the middle of the 5th Century BC on the Aeginetan standard. These featured an archaic style head of Athena on the obverse paired with a protome of a horse. This type is later replaced in the fifth century by Athena with a helmet with a raised cheek-piece and a Thessalian horseman hunting with a lagobolon (throwing stick). This coin is an example of that type, which was produced as a drachm at the end of the 5th Century BC. The [Φ]-A-Σ-Ρ is a retrograde ethnic. The auction house indicated the die had been signed on the obverse just under the nape of the helmet and reads TH/IΠ, which they attributed to Telephantos. If this was the case I would expect it to read Tʘ / Φ-[A]. However, there is another sold by Shana Schmitt with the attribution to that engraver which has TH/IΠ in the same location. When Stella Lavva wrote her seminal work on the coinage of Pharsalos (Die Münzprägung von Pharsalos, 2001), she argued that these initials in the left field of the obverse were the signatures of die engravers. The upper letters T, TE, and TH were all attributed to Telephantos, who Lavva thought could be the famous Thessalian sculptor Telephanes (a single die has the name in full). She also thought that the second, lower, letter (A, ʘ, or MI) were the signatures of either apprentices or secondary engravers. So in this instance this would be signed TH for Telephantos and IΠ for the apprentice or second engraver. As noted by Alan Walker (catalogue Nomos 4, N° 1288), "It seems very likely that the engravers who worked at Pharsalos were also involved with the coinage of Magna Graecia, especially that of Thurium: the heads of Athena are remarkably similar in both places" From the Mesogeios Collection. Ex Künker 333 (16 March 2020), lot 750; Roma V (23 March 2013), lot 181.

Thessaly, Skotussa. Drachm, 465-460BC. Obv: Forepart of horse running left. Rev: Grain seed in incuse square.

Skotussa was an ancient Thessalian town and polis and its early history is obscure. It lay between the cities of Pherae and Pharsalus, near the frontiers of Phthiotis and its wealth derived from grain. An inscription from between 197 and 185 BC describes a walled city with a number of towers re-enforcing it. Although not mentioned in Homer’s works, some accounts suggest that the oracle of Dodona in Epirus originally came from Skotussa. In antiquity it was most famous for a shrine to Zeus. At the end of the fifth century BC it was being threated both by the expanding territory of the tyrant Jason of Pherai and the hegemony of the Spartans. To combat this it allied with the Boeotian league and fought against Sparta in the Corinthian war of 395-387 BC. However it was unsuccessful in fending off Pherai and fell under its influence. Their continued resistance to Jason's son Alexander of Pherai cost them dearly. In 367 BC he gathered all the citizens in the main theatre and massacred them. The silver coinage of Skotussa was struck from the mid-fifth century BC in the Aeginetic standard (12.2g didrachm), placing this coin as one of the earliest issues. The protome of a horse coupled with the grain of barley on the drachm reflects the same pairing on the hemi-drachm of the period. The drachm was the largest denomination minted in this period.

Thrace, Byzantium. Drachm circa 340-310, AR 15.00 mm., 5.17 g. Obv: Cow standing left; below, dolphin and above ΠY. Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.

From a passage in Aristophanes the city was still using an iron currency at the end of the fifth century, with the first silver coinage being minted around 416 BC on the Persian standard. Byzantion was besieged by the Spartans during the Peloponnesian war to cut of grain supply to Athens and took control of the city in 411 BC. The Athenian military later retook the city in 408 BC and the city was surrendered without a struggle to Alexander in 334 BC. In the middle of the fourth century the weight standard of the silver coinage changed from the Persian (10.7g double-siglos) to the Rhodian standard (13.4g tetradrachm). The type of a cow with a dolphin below remains consistent until the cessation of production under Alexander. Svoronos has suggested that the obverse type may represent Io in cow-form crossing the Bosporus, symbolized by the Dolphin. Here is a bit of a mystery which needs tracking down. The type of a cow/dolphin paired with a trident on the reverse terminates according to the online catalogues at 340 BC, which is in line with the history above. However type of the cow/dolphin paired with a quadripartite incuse square, though it looks more archaic, is typically dated 340-320 BC in the online catalogues - a time when the city would have been under the dominion of Alexander. This normally sees local currencies subsumed into the Alexandrine drachms.

Thrace. Maroneia. Circa 398/7-386/5 BC. Triobol (Silver, 15 mm, 2.66 g, 6 h). Obv:E-Y-Π Forepart of horse to left. Rev. Μ-Α Grape bunch on vine, within dotted square border; all within shallow incuse square.

The earliest coins of Maroneia were struck on the Thasian standard (9.62g stater) and featured the forepart of a galloping horse on the obverse with an incuse punch design on the reverse. Later in the fifth century they moved to a light Thraso-Macedonian standard (14.1g tetradrachm), now with a grape vine heavy with fruit on the reverse. After the Peloponnesian War they swapped to the Aiginetic standard of 12.5g didrachms and then to the Persic standard of 5.8g siglos by the early fourth century. The triobol at this time retained the galloping horse of the early coins on the obverse. This is an example of a coin on the Persic standard and has the magistrates name E-Y-Π in the field of the obverse, the ethnic being on the reverse abbreviated as M-A.

Thrace, Mesembria. Diobol (Circa 420-320 BC). Obv: Facing helmet. Rev: M - E - T - A. Four-spoked wheel.

There were two places called Mesembria in Thrace, one an important colony of Megara on the Euxine, the other mentioned only by Herodotus (vii. 108), who calls it a continental stronghold of the Samothracians. It is to the former that the coins with the name of Mesembria belong. Strabo describes it as a colony of Dorians from Megara established the beginning of the 6th century BC, and that it was originally called Menebria after its founder, Melsas. If so, it was the only Dorian colony along the Black Sea coast, as the rest were typical Ionian colonies. Heroditus records that at the time of the Scythian campaign of King Darius I in 513 BC "The people of Byzantion and those of Chalcedon opposite did not even wait for the coming of the Persian ships, but had left their own land first and departed, going within the Euxine; and there they settled in the city of Mesembria " [Histories 4.87]. In 425 BC the city joined the Delian League. According to Head, the reverse type has been interpreted as referring to solar worship, the radiate wheel being the midday sun. The coins were minted on the Rhodian standard (13.4g Tetradrachm). The use of the Form T instead of ΣΣ is peculiar to the Ionian seaboard and to the Pontic coast of Thrace. Need to be careful of this type as this (together with coins of Apollonia Pontika) formed the Black Sea Hoard fakes in the 80s. Interestingly, in Greek mythology Mesembria was the sixth eldest of the Horae, who accompany Helios into the sky, and take care of the horses that pull the chariot of the sun. The Roman writer Hygenus gives the names of the Horae as Auge (When light first appears), Anatole (Dawn), Musica, Gymnastica, Nymphe (Hour of Bath), Mesembria (Noon), Sponde (libation), Elete, Acte, Hesperis, and Dysis (Setting).

Islands off Thrace, Thasos. Circa 148-90/80 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 31 mm, 16.66 g, 1 h). Head of youthful Dionysos to right, wearing tainia and wreath of ivy and fruit. Rev. HΡAKΛEOΥΣ - ΣΩTHΡOΣ / ΘAΣIΩN Herakles standing front, head to left, holding club in his right hand and lion skin draped over his left arm and shoulder; in inner left field, monogram

Having earlier produced coins on the Thasian, Chian and Macedonian standards, by this time they were minting coins on a Reduced Attic standard of a 16.65g tetradrachm. This coin is nearly exactly on standard. These coins were popular and heavily copied by the contemporary Thracian and Celtic tribes. These coins are notable for the reverse legend, 'of Herakles Soter of the Thasians', so claiming Heracles as their own. There is an unusual monogram on this issue, just to the right of the club of Heracles.

Diomedes Ancient Coins

Coins of Greece & the Islands