Nomos 7

MACEDON, Mende. Circa 460-423 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.29 g 4), c. 425. Dionysos, bearded, and with his head facing turned slightly to left, wearing an ivy wreath and a chiton, holding a kantharos in his right hand and a thyrsos in his left, reclining to right on the back of a donkey walking to right; below, ivy branch. Rev. ΜΕΝΔΑΙΟΝ Raised square bearing a vine with four bunches of grapes; all within shallow incuse square. Kraay- Hirmer 403 (this coin). Locker Lampson 147 (this coin).Noe, Mende 61 (this coin). SNG Lockett 1347 (this coin). Rare. Nicely toned and of excellent classical style. Obverse very slightly double struck, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the Spina Collection and from the Outstanding Collection, Leu 81, 16 May 2001, 165, ex Monnaies et Médailles 68, 15 April 1986, 227, and from the collections of R. C. Lockett, II, Glendining & Co. 12 February 1958, 1268 and G. Locker Lampson, and from the Kaliandra Hoard of 1913 (IGCH 358).

The figure of Dionysos on this coin is one of great dignity and elegance: he shows no signs of dissolute drunkenness or wildness; rather, he seems calm and sedate. Perhaps he has just drunk so much that he is being very careful not to exert himself in the least!