Nomos 1

AKARNANIA, Federal Coinage (Akarnanian Confederacy). Circa 250 BC. Quarter Stater (Gold, 2.10 g, 12 h), Attic standard. Head of the youthful river-god Acheloos to right; behind, retrograde Ν. Rev. ΑΚΑΡΝΑΝΩΝ Apollo, nude but for drapery over his right leg, seated left on throne, holding bow in his right hand and leaning his left on the side of the throne; in field to left, plow. BCD Akarnania -, but cf. 14 for a quarter stater with a different letter and for references to an Attic standard stater and half-stater with the plow symbol. Cf. De Luynes 1916 (quarter stater with a monogram). Extremely rare, probably unique with this letter and symbol combination. Perhaps the finest example known of this coinage. Extremely fine.

The exceptionally rare gold coinage of the Akarnanian League is only known from a very few specimens, all from a very limited number of issues struck over a very short time. These must have been produced for military needs and must be contemporary with the equally rare silver of Corinthian type, like the one in the following lot.