Etruria, Populonia. Silver 10 Asses (4.15 g), ca. 300-250 BC. Laureate and slightly bearded head of Aplu to left; to right, X. Reverse: Blank. EC grp. XVI, ser. 70 (O1); HN Italy 168. Toned. Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $500 - UP
Like many aspects of Etruscan culture, Etruscan coins have a distinctive character. In contrast to most contemporary Greek and native Italian coinages, the flan of this Populonian silver issue was struck by a single die against a flat surface rather than an anvil die, leaving it with only a single type (technical reverse) and an enigmatic blank side (technical obverse). In this case the type depicts Aplu, the Etruscan version of the Greek god Apollo, and features the numeral X to indicate a face value of 10 bronze asses. A similar value indicator was later adopted by the Romans to indicate the number of asses in the silver denarius.
Ex Leu Winterthur 19, 55.