Eye of the Beholder. A coin of Velia

LUCANIA, Velia. Obv. Helmeted head of Athena left; monogram behind neck guard. Rev. Lion standing left, devouring prey; Φ between legs; YEΛHTΩN in exergue

Wayne G Sayles in his excellent primer Ancient Coin Collecting explains the elements which will affect the desirability and cost of a particular coin, either positively or negatively. Factors such as rarity, patina, detail, metal, centring, countermarks, porosity and toning are all put in the balance, but sometimes one of these factors – eye appeal – brings all of this together in a way which speaks directly to what a collector desires from a coin. The coin from the Lucanian city of Velia in the banner is one such example. For me it incorporates the quality that I expect of the mints of Magna Graecia with fine toning, clear attribution (ΥΕΛΗΤΩΝ) and a hint of mystery. This specific type is not listed in the major references but was presented as a variation of SNG Cop. 1585 on the auction site. There are two nice examples of this type in the British museum (BMC 1919,0809.1, BMC 1851,0503.142) and each show the intriguing, stylised trident flanked by Φ and Ι.

Velia was founded in by refugees who fled the city of Phocaea in Ionia when it was besieged by the Persians. According to Herodotus [1.164] the Phocaeans launched their fifty-oared ships, embarked their children and women and all their movable goods, besides the statues from the temples and everything dedicated in them except bronze or stonework or painting, and then embarked themselves and set sail for Chios; and the Persians took Phocaea, left thus uninhabited. These settlers eventually reached Lucania in 540 BC via Corsica and Rhegion and founded Hyele, later to be renamed Ele, and then, finally, Velia. Unsurprisingly this coin is therefore based on an 8.0g nomos derived from the Phocaean standard, which was originally a 16.2g electrum stater (this coin is 7.82g, 21.6mm). Velia successfully resisted both the native Lucanians and the invasion of Dionysius of Syracuse in 386 B.C and continued to mint coins using the lion emblem through to its alliance with Rome in 275 BC. The lion in this coin is seen standing proud, but other types include it devouring its prey or attacking a stag.

One of Velia’s more prominent citizens was the philosopher Zeno (probably best known for his paradoxes), who according to Diodorus Siculus, was tortured to death when he was discovered as part of a conspiracy to overthrow the tyrant of the city, Nearchus.