Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers
Auction 96 14-15 February 2017
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Macedonia, Mende. Silver Tetradrachm (17.22 g), ca. 480 BC. MINΔ-AION, ass standing right; on rump, magpie standing left, pecking, and M (faint). Reverse: Mill-sail incuse square with four raised and four sunken segments. Noe 6 (same obv. die); cf. SNG ANS 293 (same obv. die; direction of mill-sail). Very Rare. Light antique grey toning. Choice Very Fine. Estimate Value $4,000 - UP
The Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in 1988; Ex John Work Garrett Collection, pt. 2 (NFA/Leu, 16 October 1984), 2; Ex Clarence Sweet Bement Collection (Naville VI, 28 January 1924), 651; Ex Sehenhuis Collection (Hirsch XXXIII, 17 November 1913), 618.
The ass depicted on this coin represents the mount of Silenos or Dionysos, both of whom appear on later emissions of Mende. For some time there has been controversy about the identity of the bird that pecks at the rump of the ass. It was long thought to be a crow or starling, until a detailed ornithological study by J. Kagan ("Notes on the Coinage of Mende," AJN 26 [2014]) revealed that modern Eurasian jays and especially magpies are known for the habit of perching on donkeys in order to pluck hairs for building nests. Since the jay/magpie (described by the same name in ancient Greek) is identified as sacred to Dionysos by the late Greek author Lucius Annaeus Cornutus it seems inescapable that we are dealing with such a bird here and not a crow which, after all, was sacred to Apollo.
The Hanbery Collection; Purchased privately from F. Kovacs in 1988; Ex John Work Garrett Collection, pt. 2 (NFA/Leu, 16 October 1984), 2; Ex Clarence Sweet Bement Collection (Naville VI, 28 January 1924), 651; Ex Sehenhuis Collection (Hirsch XXXIII, 17 November 1913), 618.
The ass depicted on this coin represents the mount of Silenos or Dionysos, both of whom appear on later emissions of Mende. For some time there has been controversy about the identity of the bird that pecks at the rump of the ass. It was long thought to be a crow or starling, until a detailed ornithological study by J. Kagan ("Notes on the Coinage of Mende," AJN 26 [2014]) revealed that modern Eurasian jays and especially magpies are known for the habit of perching on donkeys in order to pluck hairs for building nests. Since the jay/magpie (described by the same name in ancient Greek) is identified as sacred to Dionysos by the late Greek author Lucius Annaeus Cornutus it seems inescapable that we are dealing with such a bird here and not a crow which, after all, was sacred to Apollo.