★ Ex Lexington Collection ★

Bruttium, Kaulonia AR Stater. Circa 500-480 BC. Apollo advancing to right, holding laurel branch over right shoulder, with small daimon running to right on left arm; before, stag standing to right with head reverted, KAVΛ to left / Incuse of Apollo and stag. Noe Group A, 2 (same dies); SNG ANS 141 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 571 (same dies); HN Italy 2035; HGC 1, 1416. 8.15g, 30mm, 12h.

Near Mint State; dark old cabinet tone with hints of iridescence around devices, slight die shift on rev. Previously NGC graded AU 4/5 - 5/5 (3265424-003).

Ex private Japanese Collection;
Ex Lexington Collection of Jonathan K. Kern, Heritage World Coin Auctions, Auction 3033 - ANA Platinum Night, 8 August 2014, lot 23002.

The depiction of Apollo on this stater provides a striking, miniature insight into an extraordinary period of transition for Greek art which is more often associated with monumental sculpture in marble and bronze. At first glance this representation of Apollo appears to conform to expectations of typical Archaic Greek sculpture, with the left leg forward in a striding position, exaggerated musculature, neutral facial expression and hair pulled back into schematic braids. This manner of depicting the male form is exactly paralleled by kouros type sculptures which appeared across the Greek world in the 7th and 6th Centuries BC. It was originally thought in the 19th century that all kouroi were depictions of Apollo, given that so many were found at his temples and shrines and, although this has now been proven not to be the case, there can be little doubt as to the identity of the figure on this coin, the stag being a clear indicator as it was closely associated with and sacred to Apollo and his sister Artemis.

It is only, however, when compared with earlier kouroi, such as the Sounion Kouros (National Archaeological Museum of Athens, 2720) and the New York Kouros (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 32.11.1) dating from the very end of the seventh century to the beginning of the sixth century BC that differences start to emerge in this coin’s imagery. A more concerted attempt at naturalism is clear in this coin’s Apollo and although this might seem a subtle change in style, when considered alongside contemporary sculpture a stylistic evolution can be identified.

Kouroi dating to the same period, i.e. the end of the sixth century to the start of the fifth century BC, also demonstrate a more naturalistic version of the nude male form, with a greater emphasis on realistic movement, particularly noticeable in the raised arms (previously most kouroi had their arms firmly at their sides terminating in fists), while still maintaining the enigmatic stillness of the earlier statuary. The Kouros of Reggio (Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia, Calabria) and the Piraeus Apollo (Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Athens) exemplify exactly this same change in style, both depicted in more dynamic positions like that of Apollo on this stater. This would later develop further into the highly idealised nude male bodies of the mid-fifth century associated with Classical Greek art. The effort and care that went into creating coins such as this, is further indicated in the fact of its reverse being incuse and the flan being so thin, a technique now associated with Greek Southern Italy and one that required high skill, so it is perhaps less surprising than it might initially seem that such attention was given to small stylistic nuances. Therefore, this coin can be seen to reflect the beginnings of the Greek artistic revolution in the small developments towards greater naturalism and more arresting gestures.