THRACE. Abdera. Circa 530-500 BC. Diobol (Silver, 8.5 mm, 0.72 g). Griffin seated to left, with right paw raised and open jaws. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. May, Abdera 27a (A23/P26, this coin ). Rare. A lovely toned example, struck in good silver. Extremely fine.

From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, ex Schweizerischer Bankverein Basel 17, 27 January 1987, 17 and in the stock of Münzen und Medaillen, Basel, in 1952.

Like Phanagoria (above, lot 199), Abdera was primarily founded by Teians fleeing the Persians in 544 BC (there seem to have been Phoenicians living there beginning in the 7th century, as well as Greeks from Klazomenai, but they were more-or-less expelled by the Thracians). The griffin looking left, Abdera's city badge, is taken from Teos, which had a griffin looking right.