Extending Collections. A Coin of Chalkis

Recently I have been spreading out a bit from the coins of Magna Graecia and so purchased a coin of Chalkis. There remains a link in that Chalkis founded Cumae in around 750 BC, which was the earliest Greek colony in Italy.

The founding myth of Chalkis is that it was settled before the Trojan war by Athenians sent by their king Erechtheus (and it is indeed mentioned in the Iliad as one of the cities sending ships as part of the Achaean fleet in book 2). It sits on the southwest coast of the island of Euboea and is separated from the mainland (Boeotia) by a narrow channel called the Euripos.

After the Persian wars, Chalkis joined the Delian league but, as with other cities, they rebelled against Athenian imperialism as noted by Diodorus Siculus [13.47] 'The people of Chalcis and almost all the rest of the inhabitants of Euboea had revolted from the Athenians​ and were therefore highly apprehensive lest, living as they did on an island, they should be forced to surrender to the Athenians, who were masters of the sea; and they therefore asked the Boeotians to join with them in building a causeway across the Euripus and thereby joining Euboea to Boeotia'. Chalkis was defeated by the Athenians under Pericles and for a period became subject to Athens, not opposing them again until near the end of the Peloponnesian war.

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. The eagle type is very reminiscent of that seen on the reverses of the staters of Croton at about the same period (500 BC) though there is no obvious links between the cities.

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.

I have been recently made more aware of the issue of counterfeit coins by a colleague who has a great eye for problematic coins borne of long experience. I was initially suspicious of this coin as it seemed too polished, but it seems to have been a victim of overcleaning rather than anything more serious. Nevertheless I would suggest that any new collectors understand that in this environment it is 'caveat emptor' even when you are buying from the big auction sites. So buy from dealers you trust and seek advise from more experienced collectors wherever you can. Suggestions are https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/, which seems to have some very experienced contributors, Forum Ancient coins, which provides very sound advise on the topic, and your local collectors, many of which belong to numismatic societies where you can both show off and verify your collections.