★ One of Seven Known ★

THRACO-MACEDONIAN TRIBES, Derrones. Epi–. Circa 475/0-465 BC. AR Dodekadrachm(?) (26mm, 34.71 g). Driver, holding goad in right hand, reins in left, driving ox cart right; above, crested Corinthian helmet right; Ǝ above, Π below, I to right / Clockwise triskeles within shallow incuse circle. CNG 85, lot 264; Freeman & Sear 14, 124; Gemini XI, lot 17; Gemini III, 84; Helios 3, 31; Rauch 85, 147 (all from the same obv. die). Typical crude strike, bright surfaces. EF. Very rare with these letters on the obverse, one of only seven known.

From the Jonathan P. Rosen Collection. Ex Gemini XIV (18 April 2018), lot 105 (hammer $14,000).

The context and meaning of the Derrones' ox cart type dodekadrachms are still being debated. Little is known of this tribe other than what can be gleaned from their surviving coinage. Hoard find-spots suggest that they inhabited inland Paeonia, and the absence of these coins from the Asyut hoard suggests that they postdate the burial of that hoard (c. 475-470 BC). The obverse type depicts a male figure who is most likely the tribal king and hereditary high priest while the helmet suggests a military reference. Some rare dodekadrachms have letters on their obverse, as here, which are thought to be the names of tribal chiefs. It should be noted that the denomination of this issue is traditionally called a dodekadrachm, which would be around 44.25 grams on the Heavy Thraco-Macedonian standard, but the weights of published examples vary widely, from 30 to 42 grams, with most falling between 37 and 40 grams.