Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 114 13-14 May 2020
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CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 281-276 BC. AV Stater (18.5mm, 8.28 g, 5h). Youthful head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Taras, holding reins in right hand, trident in left, driving fast biga right; star above; below horses, dolphin downward. Fischer-Bossert G21 (V18/R21); Vlasto, Or Type O 1 [b]; Vlasto 16 = Gulbenkian 34 (same dies); HN Italy 955; BMC 13 (same dies). Lustrous. Choice EF. Well centered and struck on a broad flan, in high relief. A choice example of this very rare issue.
This rare and beautiful gold stater type was most likely struck by Pyrrhos of Epiros during his expedition to southern Italy, at Tarentum's invitation, to fight the expansionist Romans circa 281-276 BC. Struck from dies of extraordinary style in sculptural high relief, the obverse emulates the famous silver coinage of Alexander III the Great of Macedon. The reverse depicts Taras holding a trident and driving a biga, establishing Tarentum as the mint. Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert, citing the support of S. Garraffo and G.K. Jenkins, places the issue during the famous Italian expedition of the Epirote dynast Pyrrhos, whose desire to imitate Alexander's career of conquest was well known. The bloody campaign of Pyrrhos gave us the term "Pyrrhic Victory," meaning a victory won at such terrible cost that it might as well be a defeat.
This rare and beautiful gold stater type was most likely struck by Pyrrhos of Epiros during his expedition to southern Italy, at Tarentum's invitation, to fight the expansionist Romans circa 281-276 BC. Struck from dies of extraordinary style in sculptural high relief, the obverse emulates the famous silver coinage of Alexander III the Great of Macedon. The reverse depicts Taras holding a trident and driving a biga, establishing Tarentum as the mint. Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert, citing the support of S. Garraffo and G.K. Jenkins, places the issue during the famous Italian expedition of the Epirote dynast Pyrrhos, whose desire to imitate Alexander's career of conquest was well known. The bloody campaign of Pyrrhos gave us the term "Pyrrhic Victory," meaning a victory won at such terrible cost that it might as well be a defeat.