Nomos 8

LUCANIA, Metapontum. Circa 430-400 BC. Didrachm or Nomos (Silver, 22mm, 7.74 g 2). Head of Apollo Karneios to right, with short hair and a ram’s ear and horn. Rev. ΜΕΤΑ Grain ear with leaf to left. HN III 1508. Noe 336. SNG 287. SNG Munich 952. Rare. A lovely, toned piece of very fine style. Extremely fine.

From the B. in B. Collection, ex Bank Leu 22, 8 May 1979, 4.

This coin forms part of a very unusual issue: not only is the appearance of Apollo Karneios a surprise, but a goodly number of the known examples are actually ancient forgeries (i.e, Noe 334, 338 ff. - most are very much underweight, usually plated, and are of distinctly poor style). In some ways this implies that these coins were issued for a special reason; given that Karneios was closely connected with Lakedaimon, could it be that a small issue was produced to honor an ephemeral relationship between Metapontum and Sparta? In any case, this is one of the nicest genuine examples of the type known.