Nomos 2

THESSALY, Perrhaiboi. Circa 440 BC. Drachm (Silver, 6.44 g 6), Oloossson. The Hero Thessalos, wearing long cloak and petasos, hanging behind him from a cord around his neck, struggling to left with a bull, which is attempting to escape; the Hero is grasping the bull around its neck and holds a short club in his right hand. Rev. ΠΕ Bridled horse galloping to right, with its reins trailing behind; all within incuse square. McClean 4660 (same dies). Traité II, IV, 571 var. (obverse to right and reverse to left). Extremely rare, perhaps the best known example. Lightly toned and most attractive, good extremely fine.

From the Z collection, Switzerland.

The coinage of the Perrhaiboi, whose capital and mint was Oloosson, is primarily one of small silver and bronze - hemidrachms are rare and drachms are extremely rare. At least two types of drachms were produced, an earlier one, as the one illustrated in Traité and in CNG 57 (2001) as lot 294, which has the hero striding to the right while restraining the bull, and this one, which is clearly stylistically later. Here we see Thessalos shown realistically digging in his heels in his attempt to stop the raging bull, we know, of course, that he was successful!