Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 126 17 Nov 2021
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Aenus
Tetradrachm circa 402-399, AR 15.65 g. Facing Head of Hermes, slightly to l., wearing brimless petasus. Rev. AINI – O Goat standing r.; in r. field, corn stalk. All within partially incuse square. SNG Ashmolean 3245 (these dies). May, Ainos 325.
A wonderful portrait of fine style struck in high relief and with a superb old cabinet tone.
Minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Vinchon 14 April 1984, comtesse de Béhague, 81 and Vinchon 13 Aprl 1985, Pflieger, 246 sales. Privately purchased from Vinchon in 2010.
Almost certainly, this issue – like the entire wonderful series from Ainos (along with those from Amphipolis, the Ainean tetradrachms represent the highest expression of coinage art in Northern Greece) – was not produced from dies designed by local artists but is most likely the work of a great master from Magna Graecia or Sicily. In fact, the city of Ainos, which was located on the Southern Coast of Thrace, then represented a trade centre of the greatest importance (it so happens that the image on the obverse is invariably that of Hermes, who was eventually the god of trade), and because of its wealth and economic importance, was therefore able to attract the best artists of the time. The intervention of a great master is also proved by the technical perfection evidenced by the general smoothness of the design as well as the successful solution of a relevant problem in high denomination coins, i.e. the frontal rendering of the image in relief (wonderful issues such as this are limited to the period of highest perfection of Greek coinage). This specimen is also technically significant because, in contrast to most specimens of the series, the centering of the goat figure on the reverse is virtually perfect.
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Tetradrachm circa 402-399, AR 15.65 g. Facing Head of Hermes, slightly to l., wearing brimless petasus. Rev. AINI – O Goat standing r.; in r. field, corn stalk. All within partially incuse square. SNG Ashmolean 3245 (these dies). May, Ainos 325.
A wonderful portrait of fine style struck in high relief and with a superb old cabinet tone.
Minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Vinchon 14 April 1984, comtesse de Béhague, 81 and Vinchon 13 Aprl 1985, Pflieger, 246 sales. Privately purchased from Vinchon in 2010.
Almost certainly, this issue – like the entire wonderful series from Ainos (along with those from Amphipolis, the Ainean tetradrachms represent the highest expression of coinage art in Northern Greece) – was not produced from dies designed by local artists but is most likely the work of a great master from Magna Graecia or Sicily. In fact, the city of Ainos, which was located on the Southern Coast of Thrace, then represented a trade centre of the greatest importance (it so happens that the image on the obverse is invariably that of Hermes, who was eventually the god of trade), and because of its wealth and economic importance, was therefore able to attract the best artists of the time. The intervention of a great master is also proved by the technical perfection evidenced by the general smoothness of the design as well as the successful solution of a relevant problem in high denomination coins, i.e. the frontal rendering of the image in relief (wonderful issues such as this are limited to the period of highest perfection of Greek coinage). This specimen is also technically significant because, in contrast to most specimens of the series, the centering of the goat figure on the reverse is virtually perfect.
View a video of this lot