Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 105 10 May 2017
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THRACO-MACEDONIAN TRIBES, Uncertain. Circa 500-480 BC. AR Stater (20mm, 9.46 g). Centaur right, carrying off protesting nymph / Quadripartite incuse square with swastika pattern. Asyut 62–80; HPM pl. VI, 15 and 17-18; AMNG III/2, pl. XXV, 10; SNG ANS 980 (Orreskioi). Good VF, minor porosity.
The centaur-nymph motif was used by a number of Thraco-Macedonian tribes, and at least three tribes – the Orreskioi, Letaioi, and the Zaelioi – inscribed their ethnic on the obverse. The present coin, though, belongs to the quantity of unsigned issues which cannot yet be assigned to a particular tribe, although the cataloger of the ANS sylloge assumed the issue was from the Orreskioi. Moreover, the obverse on this coin has a pellet border, which is not present on any of the signed issues. This type also was declared a forgery by Gaebler in AMNG, along with many other Thraco-Macedonian issues, but his views on these were never adopted by other numismatists, and later hoards have proven his condemnations to be unfounded.
The centaur-nymph motif was used by a number of Thraco-Macedonian tribes, and at least three tribes – the Orreskioi, Letaioi, and the Zaelioi – inscribed their ethnic on the obverse. The present coin, though, belongs to the quantity of unsigned issues which cannot yet be assigned to a particular tribe, although the cataloger of the ANS sylloge assumed the issue was from the Orreskioi. Moreover, the obverse on this coin has a pellet border, which is not present on any of the signed issues. This type also was declared a forgery by Gaebler in AMNG, along with many other Thraco-Macedonian issues, but his views on these were never adopted by other numismatists, and later hoards have proven his condemnations to be unfounded.