★ An enigmatic tetartemorion from Massalia with a fruit or a woodlouse ★

GAUL. Massalia. Circa 500-475 BC. Tetartemorion (Silver, 7 mm, 0.21 g), Milesian standard. Fruit or woodlouse (?). Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. Auriol -. LT -. Maurel 78 ( this coin ). Of the highest rarity, perhaps unique. A darkly toned and very interesting coin. Good very fine.

From the Massalia Collection, formed over the past twenty-five years.

What is shown on the obverse of this tiny coin is somewhat of an enigma: Maurel calls it a 'seiche ou fruit', but octopodes do not have striated bodies and this piece does not show tentacles as on Maurel 77. It may be a fruit, or, given the fondness of the early Massalian artists of small animals, perhaps a woodlouse.