Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 126 17 Nov 2021
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Trihemistater circa 520-480, AR 14.30 g. Goat kneeling r. Rev. Incuse square divided in eight irregular segments. Traité –. Svoronos, Hellenism Primitif –. BMC –. Jameson –. SNG ANS –. Boston, MFA suppl. Pl. IV, 47 = Hess–Leu sale 9, 1958, 140 (these dies).
Of the highest rarity, the finest of only two specimens known of this intriguing
issue. Surface somewhat porous, otherwise good very fine
Ex Leu 48, 1989, 128; NFA XXV, 1990, 63 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 261 sales.
Although this particular trihemistater is incredibly rare, known from only one other example, it is related to a larger Macedonian silver series featuring goat types struck by an uncertain Macedonian mint in the late sixth and early fifth century BC. Due to the use of the goat as the obverse type, in the past such coins were frequently attributed to Aegae. This city was founded in response to the Delphic oracle, which supposedly advised the Argive exiles Perdiccas and his brothers to found a city in Macedonia where they came across a herd of white nanny goats (aiges in Greek). They found the herd grazing on a hill in the Emathian district of Macedonia and there founded Aegae to be the seat of the Argead dynasty of Macedonian kings. Unfortunately, while the type of this coin might seem appropriate for a punning reference to Aegae on the surface, it is very clear from this coin that the animal depicted is really a billy goat (tragos in Greek). With Aegae ruled out as a potential mint, unidentified mints have been suggested among such Thraco-Macedonian tribal entities as the Bisaltae, Crestones, or Mygdones.
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Trihemistater circa 520-480, AR 14.30 g. Goat kneeling r. Rev. Incuse square divided in eight irregular segments. Traité –. Svoronos, Hellenism Primitif –. BMC –. Jameson –. SNG ANS –. Boston, MFA suppl. Pl. IV, 47 = Hess–Leu sale 9, 1958, 140 (these dies).
Of the highest rarity, the finest of only two specimens known of this intriguing
issue. Surface somewhat porous, otherwise good very fine
Ex Leu 48, 1989, 128; NFA XXV, 1990, 63 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 261 sales.
Although this particular trihemistater is incredibly rare, known from only one other example, it is related to a larger Macedonian silver series featuring goat types struck by an uncertain Macedonian mint in the late sixth and early fifth century BC. Due to the use of the goat as the obverse type, in the past such coins were frequently attributed to Aegae. This city was founded in response to the Delphic oracle, which supposedly advised the Argive exiles Perdiccas and his brothers to found a city in Macedonia where they came across a herd of white nanny goats (aiges in Greek). They found the herd grazing on a hill in the Emathian district of Macedonia and there founded Aegae to be the seat of the Argead dynasty of Macedonian kings. Unfortunately, while the type of this coin might seem appropriate for a punning reference to Aegae on the surface, it is very clear from this coin that the animal depicted is really a billy goat (tragos in Greek). With Aegae ruled out as a potential mint, unidentified mints have been suggested among such Thraco-Macedonian tribal entities as the Bisaltae, Crestones, or Mygdones.
View a video of this lot