Nomos 17

LUCANIA. Thourioi. Circa 410-400 BC. Distater (Silver, 27 mm, 15.36 g, 2 h), signed, on the reverse by Istoros and Eu.... Head of Athena to right wearing Attic helmet, adorned with Skylla raising her left hand on the bowl above the visor and with a griffin walking right on the neck flap, and pearl necklace. Rev. ΘΟΥΡΙΩΝ Bull butting right, with monogram of ΥΕ on his rump; in exergue, fish to right; on ground line, in minute letters, ΙΣΤΟΡΟΣ. De Luynes 581 (same dies). HN III 1781. Noe B6. Very rare. A particularly elegant coin of the finest Classical style, nicely toned. Some traces of horn silver in the devices, with a scuff on the obverse and very light double striking on the reverse, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection.

The engraver Istoros worked in Thurium in the late 5th century and was, therefore, a contemporary of the great Syracusan engravers Kimon, Euainetos and Phrygillos (an engraver who almost certainly also worked at Thurium). His signature was first discussed by Imhoof-Blumer in 1883 (Monn. Gr. p. 7) in connection with the lovely specimen in the De Luynes Collection, and his work is of a particularly serene and noble style, without any baroque flamboyance. His dies are among the finest of all those made at Thurium.