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Nomos 4

10 May 2011
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 300 CHF
Hammer Price:  700 CHF
Lot 1049

THESSALY, Gyrton. Circa 340s BC. Chalkous (Bronze, 16mm, 2.73 g 10). Bare youthful male head to right (the hero Gyrton); behind head, tiny letter Π. Rev. ΓΥΡ Head of the nymph Gyrtona to right, wearing earring and necklace. Apparently unpublished. Extremely rare and of excellent style. Dark greenish-brown patina. Nearly extremely fine.


This coin, which rather surprisingly is unpublished, must be related to the even more rare silver hemidrachm that precedes it: both coins have the same tiny letter Π (the early form with the right leg shorter than the left) on the obverse. Its small size and inconspicuous placement suggests an artist’s signature, though it certainly could be a magistrate’s mark.
A note from BCD: I find it hard to believe that the tiny letter on the obverse of this little gem of a coin is a magistrate’s mark. There are more cases where such very small letters appear on Thessalian coins (see, for instance, the previous lot); they almost always appear on coins made from dies of the finest style and, which is also significant, on coins that are carefully struck.

Online bidding closes: 10 May 2011, 14:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 29 Mar 2024, 10:57:37 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:700 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 10 Mai 2011 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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