Nomos AG
Auction 17 26 Oct 2018
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CRETE. Uncertain. Circa 320-270 BC. Obol (Silver, 12 mm, 0.90 g, 11 h). Laureate head of Apollo to left, his long hair falling down the back of his neck. Rev. Λ Tripod with three ring handles; behind, olive and laurel branch in saltire, with a fillet hanging down from each. Svoronos -. Unfound and apparently unknown. Of great rarity, apparently unique. An attractive piece of good style with an obverse in high relief and with a deeply concave reverse. Good very fine/extremely fine.
From a German collection acquired prior to 2000.
This coin is a real enigma. It was originally acquired with the Itanos obol (above lot 146), and it is likely that they were found together (apparently with other contemporary Cretan silver fractions). Thus, the attribution to Crete used here (the deeply concave reverse is also closely comparable to the Itanos obols). But where was it minted? Lappa suggests itself thanks to the solitary Λ on the reverse; however the style of this coin is so outstandingly fine that there is actually nothing comparable at Lappa! Thus, for the moment, no full attribution can be suggested.
From a German collection acquired prior to 2000.
This coin is a real enigma. It was originally acquired with the Itanos obol (above lot 146), and it is likely that they were found together (apparently with other contemporary Cretan silver fractions). Thus, the attribution to Crete used here (the deeply concave reverse is also closely comparable to the Itanos obols). But where was it minted? Lappa suggests itself thanks to the solitary Λ on the reverse; however the style of this coin is so outstandingly fine that there is actually nothing comparable at Lappa! Thus, for the moment, no full attribution can be suggested.