Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 451 4 Sep 2019
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TROAS, Uncertain. 5th century BC. AR Hemiobol (6.5mm, 0.23 g, 2h). Crested Corinthian helmet right / Amphora within dotted square. SNG Arikantürk 672–6 (Neandria?); SNG Kayhan 1137 (Neandria). Toned, some porosity. VF.
Varieties of this type have appeared at auction in the past, and have been tentatively attributed to Neandria in Troas, where an early fraction featured a helmet on the obverse. While an attribution to a mint in that region is reasonable, Neandria is probably not correct, as its early fractions consistently feature a ram or barley grain on the reverse, which were emblematic of the city. At the same time, the nearby city of Larissa consistently featured an amphora on the reverse of nearly all of its coinage, which would make it a more likely candidate. Nonetheless, the presence of multiple examples of helmet-amphra fractions in the Arikantürk collection strongly support the attribution to a mint in this region.
Varieties of this type have appeared at auction in the past, and have been tentatively attributed to Neandria in Troas, where an early fraction featured a helmet on the obverse. While an attribution to a mint in that region is reasonable, Neandria is probably not correct, as its early fractions consistently feature a ram or barley grain on the reverse, which were emblematic of the city. At the same time, the nearby city of Larissa consistently featured an amphora on the reverse of nearly all of its coinage, which would make it a more likely candidate. Nonetheless, the presence of multiple examples of helmet-amphra fractions in the Arikantürk collection strongly support the attribution to a mint in this region.