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Nomos 3

10 May 2011
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 85000 CHF
Hammer Price:  100000 CHF
Lot 84

BOEOTIA, Thebes. Circa 395 BC. Hemidrachm (Electrum, 3.04 g 4). Bearded head of Dionysos to right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev. ΘΕ The infant Herakles seated facing, strangling two serpents. From the collection of C. Gillet, ‘Kunstfreund’, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 28 May 1974, 198. Extremely rare. A fine and important coin with a noble head of Dionysos, rather ‘Zeus-like’ in its majesty. Uncleaned and with deposits as found, otherwise, good very fine.


From the Spina collection, ex Nomos 1, 6 May 2009, 63 and from the collection of C. Gillet, ‘Kunstfreund’, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 28 May 1974, 198.

Dionysos and Herakles were the patron gods of Thebes and this extremely rare coin bears them both. Thebes was the only city in Boeotia to issue coins in electrum: hemidrachms and trihemiobols, both of the same type (the smaller piece is so rare that only a single example has ever appeared at public sale). They must have been produced as emergency money for military needs: in the 390s Boeotia was involved with a number of serious problems, with the Spartans and Thessalians among others.

Online bidding closes: 10 May 2011, 09:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 29 Mar 2024, 13:17:28 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:100000 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 10 Mai 2011 at 9:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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