★ Affordable Dodecadrachm ★

Thraco-macedonian tribes, Derrones. Circa 480-465 BC. AR Dodekadrachm (34mm, 33.68 g). Ox cart driven right by man holding whip in right hand and reins in left, Corinthian helmet right / Triskeles of human legs left. Cf. Topalov 9; HPM pl. I, 14 = Traité I 1449, pl. XLIV, 9 (same dies); AMNG III/2, 6 var. (triskeles right); cf. SNG ANS 930. Very Fine, toned, typical light roughness. Rare.

Ех CNG Triton XIII (4 January 2010), lot 95; hammer price 3500$
Sotheby’s Zurich (27 October 1993), lot 322;
Numismatic Fine Arts XXVI (14 August 1991), lot 52;
Jonathan P. Rosen Collection (Münzen und Medaillen AG 72, 6 October 1987), lot 382;
Münzen und Medaillen AG 64 (30 January 1984), lot 81.

The Derrones, known only from their coinage, probably inhabited inland in the Paeonian region (present day North Macedonia). Like other Macedonian tribes they were quick to imitate the minting of Abdera. The unusual heavy denomination, usually a sign of export, was used for trade or perhaps for paying tribute to the Persian Empire. Find sites throughout the Persian Empire supports this.