★ The Finest Known Example ★

Etruria, Populonia AR Tridrachm. 5th century BC. Boar stepping to right on rocky ground; dotted border around / Blank. EC I, 2.8 (this coin): HN Italy 112; Sambon 19. 16.56g, 28mm.

Good Very Fine; minor porosity on edge. Extremely Rare; one of only eight known specimens, of which all but two are in museum collections (London, New York [2], Florence, Paris, Vatican), and possibly the finest of all.

This coin published in I. Vecchi, Etruscan Coinage, 2012;
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex collection of a Swiss Etruscologist, Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XVI, 26 September 2018, lot 5;
Ex VCV Collection, Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction X, 27 September 2015, lot 10 (hammer: £28,000).

The earliest struck silver Etruscan tridrachms (as well as didrachms and drachms) seem to be those of Populonia and Vulci, and are attributed to the 5th century BC. They seem to be struck on the 'Chalkidian' silver drachm standard of nominally about 5.8g, a model provided by Etruria's nearest Greek neighbour, Cumae in circa 475-470 BC. This weight standard is also found at other Greek cities important to Etruscan seaborne commerce in the early 5th century such as Himera, Naxos and Zankle-Messana. The coins, of which this type is certainly no exception, are of Greek style with an Etruscan flavour and display a predilection for apotropaic (demon-dispelling) images of exotic animals and monsters.