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Lansky Auction 3 5 Jan 2021
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Thrace. Thasos. 435-411 BC. AR Drachm (3.46g). SNG Copenhagen 1018; Le Rider 8. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck. A lovely coin. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; former Raul Abecassis (1905-1977) collection, Bank Leu 1983 (33) lot 269; former Jules Desneux (1885-1962) collection, Adolph Hess & Bank Leu 1971 (49) lot 98
The overtly sexual displays seen on many early Greek coins can be disconcerting to the modern eye viewing them through the lens of centuries of Christian fulminations against paganism and its erotic excesses. These graphic scenes show the interplay of nymphs and satyrs. Cities and tribes of this region were only newly introduced to Greek influences and were still close to their roots in farming and herding cultures; their gods were not Olympian but more the spirits of nature, and the emphasis was on celebrating the fecundity of fields and flocks.
The overtly sexual displays seen on many early Greek coins can be disconcerting to the modern eye viewing them through the lens of centuries of Christian fulminations against paganism and its erotic excesses. These graphic scenes show the interplay of nymphs and satyrs. Cities and tribes of this region were only newly introduced to Greek influences and were still close to their roots in farming and herding cultures; their gods were not Olympian but more the spirits of nature, and the emphasis was on celebrating the fecundity of fields and flocks.