Nomos 5

IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 155-145 BC. Octobol (Silver, 5.50 g 1), Dionysios son of Demetrios. Armored cavalryman, wearing helmet, holding couched lance in his right hand and with his cloak flowing back from his shoulders, riding horse prancing to right; below horse, Δ. Rev. ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ / ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ Bull butting left; all within circular maeander pattern. Kinns 15 (this coin). Very rare. A splendid, gem-like coin, nicely toned. Virtually as struck.

Ex Gemini I, 11 January 2005, 162 and Lanz 102, 28 May 2001, 267, and from the collections of The Johns Hopkins University and J. W. Garrett, Bank Leu and Numismatic Fine Arts, 16 October 1984, 266, C. S. Bement, Naville VII, 23 June 1924, 1458 and T. Prowe, Egger 46, 11 May 1914, 949, and ex Hirsch 16, 6 December 1906, 636.

The letter delta on the obverse is the denomination mark and stands for four diobols or an octobol (smaller pieces valued at two and four obols are also known - smaller denominations were no longer minted in silver). These coins were primarily for local use at the time when the city produced its extensive issues of stephanophoric tetradrachms.