★ Themistokles, the winner of the Battle of Salamis ★

IONIA. Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Themistokles , circa 465-459 BC. Trihemiobol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.92 g, 9 h). Bearded head of Zeus to right, wearing tainia; behind, [A]. Rev. Monogram of ΘE in dotted square border within incuse square. Nollé & Wenninger Th 3a ( same dies ). Extremely rare. Nicely toned, a well centered and attractive example of this important issue. Nearly very fine.

This extremely rare issue was struck by Themistokles in Magnesia ad Maeandrum, which was one of the five cities that was given to him by the Persian Great King after his ostracism from Athens in the late 470ies BC (the others were Myus, Lampsakos, Perkote and Palaiskepsis).