Nomos

Auction 10  –  18 May 2015

Nomos, Auction 10

Greek, Roman and Byzantine Coins

Mo, 18.05.2015, from 4:00 PM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

GREEK COINS Thrace Chersonesos , c. 386-338 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 13mm, 2.39g). Forepart of a lion to right, his head turned back to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square with two raised and two sunken squares; in one of the sunken squares, pellet, in the other, garlanded pilos. McClean 4078. Bold, attractive and with an interesting symbol. Ex­tremely fine. Chersonesos is actually the name for the general area that is now known as the Gallipoli Peninsula (the name Gallilpoli comes from the Greek Kallipolis = ‘beautiful city’) and is used for the regional coinage that was probably struck in Kardia. The hem­idrachms of the 4th century were issued in vast numbers for trade and military purposes and are characterized by an elaborate se­ries of control symbols that appear in the sunken quarters of their reverses. This one shows a pilos (Latin pileus), a conical cap (the most famous wearers of piloi were the Dioskouroi). Some schol­ars have thought this symbol was an omphalos but that is not possible: the engraver showed that the bottom of the ‘hat’ is hol­low and also included a ring at the top.

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Bidding

Price realized 340 CHF
Starting price 200 CHF
Estimate 250 CHF
The auction is closed.
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