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Nomos 1

6 May 2009
Widder Hotel, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 9000 CHF
Hammer Price:  10000 CHF
Lot 65

ISLANDS off ATTICA, Aegina. Circa 456/45-431 BC. Stater (Silver, 12.40 g). Tortoise seen from above. Rev. Incuse square divided into five compartments. ACGC 127. Dewing 1683-1685. Milbank pl. 2, 12-13. An exceptionally well-preserved piece struck in very high relief. Minor bang at the top of the shell, otherwise, good extremely fine.


The silver issues of Aegina were immense: it was one of the chief trading coinages of the 6th and earlier 5th centuries, especially in the Peloponnesos, the Islands and in Central Greece where its weight standard was dominant. Exactly why turtles or tortoises appear on the coinage of Aegina is not clear: it was not a sacred animal. One suggestion is that early, pre-coinage silver ingots in use in the Aegean area were plano-convex in shape; and that on Aegina they were colloquially known as ‘turtles.’ Thus, when coins were introduced, using the turtle as a coin type was a reference to the older, pure-silver ingots that had previously been used in trade.

Online bidding closes: 6 May 2009, 14:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 28 Mar 2024, 12:57:47 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:10000 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 6 Mai 2009 at 14:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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