• Finest Quality Ancient Greek, Roman & Byzantine Coins
  • Renaissance & 17th Century Dutch Medals
  • Auctions & Private Treaty Sales

Nomos 11

9 October 2015
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 3250 CHF
Hammer Price:  2800 CHF
Lot 47

ISLANDS off THRACE, Thasos. Circa 150-140 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 35.5mm, 16.99 g 12). Head of youthful Dionysos to right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev. ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ / ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ / ΘΑΣΙΩΝ Herakles, nude but for laurel wreath and lion’s skin over his left shoulder, standing left, holding club with his right hand; to left, Μ. Le Rider 51. Prokopov, Group VI, 88 (VF1/R75). A particularly attractive, toned piece of exuberant style, very well struck on a broad flan. Nearly extremely fine.


During the second half of the 2nd century BC Thasos produced an enormous quantity of tetradrachms showing its patron gods, Dionysos and Herakles. The Thasian issues were, in fact, used by the Roman authorities to pay local auxiliary troops and they became immensely popular in the Balkans, being copied by the local tribes to the north in present-day Bulgaria. As a result the style of the original Thasian issues soon went downhill, often devolving into caricatures (the copies were even more bizarre); thus good style pieces are relatively rare. The present piece, with its wonderful head of Dionysos, is a remarkably appealing example, quite rare thus.

Online bidding closes: 9 Oct 2015, 08:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 28 Mar 2024, 13:42:51 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:2800 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 9 Oktober 2015 at 8:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

An error has occurred. This application may no longer respond until reloaded. Reload 🗙
Reconnecting, please wait...