Nomos 32

ISLANDS OFF TROAS, Tenedos. Circa 100-70 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 37 mm, 16.58 g, 12 h). Janiform head composed of a laureate and bearded head of Zeus to left and a diademed head of Hera to right. Rev. ΤΕΝΕ - ΔΙΩΝ Double axe; in the field to left, below axe-head, monogram and bunch of grapes; in the field to right, terminal bust of Dionysos to right; all within a laurel wreath composed of leaf clusters and with prominent ties at the bottom. Callataÿ, Tenedos - ( but c.f. 7 for a very close stylistic parallel - especially the prominent ear on the obverse, but with a differing monogram and symbol). Apparently unique. With types of really excellent late Hellenistic style, well-struck on a broad flan . Nearly extremely fine.

After a long break in its own issues, during which the only silver coins struck were posthumous Lysimachus tetradrachms, Tenedos resumed minting silver bearing its own types in the early 1st century BC. The city then began minting a series of tetradrachms and drachms, bearing its old and familiar familiar types of a janiform head and a double axe. These coins are uniformly very rare, but this piece, hitherto unknown, is not only unique but is also struck from unusually finely engraved dies. On the reverse, in addition to the city's badge of a bipennis (double axe) we see a bunch of grapes - a reference to the city's wine trade - and the marks of the magistrate responsible for the issue: a monogram (here ΣΤΡ) and a terminal bust of Dionysos.