Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 116 1 Oct 2019
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Velia
Nomos circa 420-410, AR 7.74 g. Helmeted head of Athena l. decorated with wreath. Rev. YEΛHTΩ[N] Lion l. pulling down stag. Williams 144. Gillet 271 (this coin). SNG ANS 1244 (this obverse die). Gulbenkian 104 (this obverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 1270.
Rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly the finest specimen known.
Struck on an unusually large flan and exceptionally complete for the issue.
Wonderful old cabinet tone and extremely fine
Ex Leu/M&M 28 May 1974, Kunstfreund, 181 and Morton & Eden 51, 2011, Exceptional Greek coins, 17 sales.As Velia was an original colony of Phokaia founded around 535 BC, its coinage regularly paid homage to its mother city through its types and weight standard down to the third century BC. Silver staters (nomoi) were struck to the Phokaic weight standard and, beginning in the fourth century BC, regularly featured the helmeted head of Athena on the obverse and a lion on the reverse. The depiction of Athena, including the griffin ornament on the bowl of her helmet, is derived from the obverse type used for Phokaian electrum hektai in the fifth century BC. The griffin was a popular civic badge of Phokaia. Likewise, the lion, particularly when shown devouring its prey was a staple type for early electrum issues of Phokaia in the late sixth and early fifth centuries BC.On the present stater, the usual stand-alone lion is shown in a dramatic scene attacking a hapless stag. This new image is ultimately derived from Near Eastern artistic traditions and can be found on coins struck by the fifth-century Phoenician kings of Kition on Cyprus, as well as on issues of Tarsos and Myriandros under the Persian satrap Mazaios (c. 361-334 BC). This ubiquitous Near Eastern motif entered the Greek iconographic repertoire during the Archaic period, as evidenced by numerous representations on painted pottery and in sculpture. The representation of the lion attacking the stag on Velian coins therefore probably comes from the use of the image in Greek art rather than direct exposure to the Near Eastern models. Still, it is notable that Velia is the only Greek city to employ this somewhat ubiquitous image as a coin type.The enduring popularity and influence of this Velian lion and stag type may be gauged by the fact that it was later resurrected to serve as the reverse type for a denarius issue of Augustus (RIC 318), perhaps serving to indicate the southern Italian origin of the responsible moneyer, M. Durmius.
Nomos circa 420-410, AR 7.74 g. Helmeted head of Athena l. decorated with wreath. Rev. YEΛHTΩ[N] Lion l. pulling down stag. Williams 144. Gillet 271 (this coin). SNG ANS 1244 (this obverse die). Gulbenkian 104 (this obverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 1270.
Rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly the finest specimen known.
Struck on an unusually large flan and exceptionally complete for the issue.
Wonderful old cabinet tone and extremely fine
Ex Leu/M&M 28 May 1974, Kunstfreund, 181 and Morton & Eden 51, 2011, Exceptional Greek coins, 17 sales.As Velia was an original colony of Phokaia founded around 535 BC, its coinage regularly paid homage to its mother city through its types and weight standard down to the third century BC. Silver staters (nomoi) were struck to the Phokaic weight standard and, beginning in the fourth century BC, regularly featured the helmeted head of Athena on the obverse and a lion on the reverse. The depiction of Athena, including the griffin ornament on the bowl of her helmet, is derived from the obverse type used for Phokaian electrum hektai in the fifth century BC. The griffin was a popular civic badge of Phokaia. Likewise, the lion, particularly when shown devouring its prey was a staple type for early electrum issues of Phokaia in the late sixth and early fifth centuries BC.On the present stater, the usual stand-alone lion is shown in a dramatic scene attacking a hapless stag. This new image is ultimately derived from Near Eastern artistic traditions and can be found on coins struck by the fifth-century Phoenician kings of Kition on Cyprus, as well as on issues of Tarsos and Myriandros under the Persian satrap Mazaios (c. 361-334 BC). This ubiquitous Near Eastern motif entered the Greek iconographic repertoire during the Archaic period, as evidenced by numerous representations on painted pottery and in sculpture. The representation of the lion attacking the stag on Velian coins therefore probably comes from the use of the image in Greek art rather than direct exposure to the Near Eastern models. Still, it is notable that Velia is the only Greek city to employ this somewhat ubiquitous image as a coin type.The enduring popularity and influence of this Velian lion and stag type may be gauged by the fact that it was later resurrected to serve as the reverse type for a denarius issue of Augustus (RIC 318), perhaps serving to indicate the southern Italian origin of the responsible moneyer, M. Durmius.