Nomos 25

AKARNANIA. Anaktorion. Circa 350-330 BC. Stater (Silver, 22 mm, 8.54 g, 9 h). Pegasos with straight wings flying to left; below, monogram of AN (retrograde). Rev. ΕΠΙ Head of Athena to left, wearing Corinthian helmet; behind Athena's neck, monogram of AN (retrograde); next to the neck truncation, monogram of ΑΓ (?); below the locks of Athena's hair, ΔΩ; in the field to right, threshing flail. BCD Akarnania 107 var. BMC 64 var. Calciati 65. Rare symbol, attractive and lightly toned. Nearly extremely fine.

The symbol used on this coin, generally identified as a threshing flail, is quite unusual; not only as a type, but also as the way it is shown. Normally, even today, a threshing flail consist of a long wooden handle attached, by chains of ropes, to a smaller stick (or sticks), which is then used to beat the harvested grain in order to separate the grain from the husks. On other coins from Anaktorion the flail is shown with a curved top to represent those movable beating elements. Here we have a thick handle leading into a slightly spread, albeit straight top: it looks rather like an artist's paint brush!