Nomos 3

AKARNANIA, Leukas. Circa 380-350 BC. Drachm (Silver, 2.76 g 12). Pegasos flying to left; below, Λ Rev. Head of Aphrodite facing, turned slightly to her left, and wearing a pearl necklace; to right, retrograde Σ. BCD Akarnania 211 (this coin, but with a misprinted Traité reference)- BMC Corinth p. 135, 115. Traité II, IV p. 78, 157 and pl. CCLXXVI, 15-16. Very rare. A spectacular coin, of remarkably fine style. Attractively toned. Minor flan crack, otherwise one of the finest known examples of this type, nearly extremely fine.

Ex Münzen und Medaillen GmbH, Sammlung BCD, 18 October 2007, 211.

This is one of the finest of all the facing heads on Greek coinage. Here we see Aphrodite as an ever-youthful goddess, her hair carefully arranged but artfully flowing behind her, perhaps ever so slightly wind-blown. Her expression is a serious one, without even a hint of a smile, not even that of Mona Lisa’s. The artist who cut the dies for this small coin, the value of an Attic tetrobol, produced a true masterpiece, one of the most attractive small denomination to be minted in the 4th century BC.