Obolos 16

ACHAEA. Patrae. Hadrian, 117-138. Assarion (Bronze, 21.5 mm, 5.68 g, 8 h), 128-138. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Laureate and draped bust of Hadrian to right. Rev. COL A A PATRENS Hermes naked standing left, his right hand on head of ram, holding caduceus in left; to right, amphora. BCD Corinth 613 (this coin as Corinth). BCD Peloponnesos 552.2 (same dies) = RPC III 285 (same dies). Dark brown patina; the fourth (actually the first of the four) example known. Nearly very fine.

From the Vineyard Collection, from the BCD Collection, Lanz 105, 26 November 2001, 613 and from the collection of Prof. Saul S. Weinberg.

According to the cataloguer in BCD Corinth, the only legible part of the reverse legend on this coin is along the right edge and appears to read KENC. If this is correct, it places the figure of Hermes in relation to Kenchreai, one of the two important ports on the Isthmus of Corinth. According to Alan Walker who catalogued in the BCD Peloponnesos, a coin from the same dies but with the legends in better condition, it is clearly from Patras. Nevertheless it is a really scarce coin.