Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 502 20 Oct 2021
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CENTRAL ITALY, Uncertain. Early 1st century BC. Æ (18mm, 3.92 g, 3h). Wreathed head of young Dionysus right / Panther standing right, head facing, holding thrysus in jaws; grain ear below. Stannard & Sinner, "A Central Italian Coin with Dionysus/Panther Types, and Contacts Between Central Italy and Spain, in the 2nd and 1st Centuries BC," in Saguntum 46 (2014), p. 159-180, fig. 1, 1-6; HN Italy 2673; SNG Milano II, p. 80, 17. Coppery red surfaces, somewhat weakly struck and off-center. Good Fine. Rare.
This scarce issue belongs to what can be called the "Italo-Baetican series" of small bronze and lead coins, found in Central and Southern Italy, Sicily, and Southern Spain. The Dionysus/Panther type is particularly found in Southern Italy, though it is absent from the finds at Pompeii, and is known to be overstruck on other pieces of the Italo-Baetican series, Roman bronzes of Q. Titi, and other post 90 BC Roman bronzes of circa 91-88 BC. Together, this suggests that the type was most likely issued by a pro-Roman group during the Social War.
This scarce issue belongs to what can be called the "Italo-Baetican series" of small bronze and lead coins, found in Central and Southern Italy, Sicily, and Southern Spain. The Dionysus/Panther type is particularly found in Southern Italy, though it is absent from the finds at Pompeii, and is known to be overstruck on other pieces of the Italo-Baetican series, Roman bronzes of Q. Titi, and other post 90 BC Roman bronzes of circa 91-88 BC. Together, this suggests that the type was most likely issued by a pro-Roman group during the Social War.