Nomos 7

ISLANDS off THRACE, Thasos. Circa 480-463 BC. Stater (Silver, 8.71 g). Nude ithyphallic Satyr, with long beard and long hair, moving right in the archaic ‘running-kneeling’ position, holding a nymph in his arms, who raises her right hand in protest and wears two bracelets, a torc-like necklace and thin robes. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square of windmill form. Le Rider, Thasiennes 5. SNG Copenhagen 1010-1012. An attractive, toned example of transitional style. About extremely fine.

From the Spina Collection, ex Triton VI, 14 January 2003, 220.

This coin was struck toward the middle of the 5th century, after the enormous issues of the late 6th and earlier 5th century had come to a close. The style, while still vigorous, shows more nuances: while both the hair and beard of the bald headed satyr are long, they seem well groomed, and the nymph does not seem particularly upset. In fact, both are becoming civilized: soon they will lose almost all trace of their earlier wildness.