Nomos AG
Auction 14 17 May 2017
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ILLYRIA, Damastion (Dardania). Circa 340-330 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24mm, 12.83 g 9). Head of Dionysos to left, crowned with an ivy wreath. Rev. ΔΑΜΑΣ - ΤΙΝΩΝ Tripod lebes with lion's feet on a small base. May 71a (this coin). SNG Copenhagen 555 (same dies). Toned and struck in high relief. Some minor marks and scratches, otherwise, good very fine.
From the Stoecklin Collection, and from the collection of Prince Waldeck at Arolsen, Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935, 671.
The city of Damastion was located somewhere in what is now present day Serbia and was inhabited by people of Illyrian/Dardanian origin; though there were Greek settlers there as well, at least from the 5th century on. The city's importance lay in its silver mines, the location of which are as unknown, as is the site of the city itself. The coinage, with obverses modeled on those of the Chalkidian League, was designed as a way of exporting the city's mineral riches. The coins themselves are often very attractive, though there are some that are of rather poor style and many are badly struck; they are generally very rare today, probably because they were viewed primarily as bullion and melted down in antiquity. The present piece is an exceptionally unusual example because it shows a head of Dionysos on the obverse, instead of the usual head of Apollo. After Damastion's capture by Philip of Macedon the city lapsed into nearly total obscurity.
Epeiros
From the Stoecklin Collection, and from the collection of Prince Waldeck at Arolsen, Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935, 671.
The city of Damastion was located somewhere in what is now present day Serbia and was inhabited by people of Illyrian/Dardanian origin; though there were Greek settlers there as well, at least from the 5th century on. The city's importance lay in its silver mines, the location of which are as unknown, as is the site of the city itself. The coinage, with obverses modeled on those of the Chalkidian League, was designed as a way of exporting the city's mineral riches. The coins themselves are often very attractive, though there are some that are of rather poor style and many are badly struck; they are generally very rare today, probably because they were viewed primarily as bullion and melted down in antiquity. The present piece is an exceptionally unusual example because it shows a head of Dionysos on the obverse, instead of the usual head of Apollo. After Damastion's capture by Philip of Macedon the city lapsed into nearly total obscurity.
Epeiros