Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 121 6-8 Oct 2022
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LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 410-400 BC. AR Dinomos – Distater (26mm, 15.71 g, 3h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated on its bowl with Skylla scanning, and on its neck guard with griffin advancing right / Bull butting right, ligate VE on its hind quarter; ΘOYPIΩN above, IΣTOPOΣ on ground line; in exergue, fish right. Noe, Thurian B6 (same dies); HN Italy 1781; de Luynes 581 (same dies); Naville V, lot 551 (same dies); E.S.G. Robinson, "Coins of Thurium from the Collection of the Marchese Ginori" in NC 1927, 4 (same dies). Toned, small mark in field on obverse, minor die shift on reverse. EF. Boldly struck in high relief.
From the Father & Son Collection, purchased from Pars Coins, 10 February 2019. Ex Bertolami Fine Arts 24 (22 June 2016), lot 112.
Kaulonia was founded in the 7th century BC by Achaean Greeks. The location, on the underside of Italy's "toe," has long since disappeared beneath the waves, but underwater archaeologists have located more than 100 fluted columns, likely for a large shrine to Apollo, the deity depicted on the city's beautiful coinage. On this exceptional piece, Apollo's nude body is shown striding to right, with a small winged daimon on his left arm; to his right stands a stag, sacred to both Apollo and his sister Artemis. The unusual fabric of this piece follows a style peculiar to Greek southern Italy in the archaic period: A broad, thin flan, obverse depicted in relief, the reverse repeating the obverse motif but incuse, and reversed. The reasons for the popularity of this fabric are poorly understood; some scholars have postulated a connection to the mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras, who was active in Italy during this period.
From the Father & Son Collection, purchased from Pars Coins, 10 February 2019. Ex Bertolami Fine Arts 24 (22 June 2016), lot 112.
Kaulonia was founded in the 7th century BC by Achaean Greeks. The location, on the underside of Italy's "toe," has long since disappeared beneath the waves, but underwater archaeologists have located more than 100 fluted columns, likely for a large shrine to Apollo, the deity depicted on the city's beautiful coinage. On this exceptional piece, Apollo's nude body is shown striding to right, with a small winged daimon on his left arm; to his right stands a stag, sacred to both Apollo and his sister Artemis. The unusual fabric of this piece follows a style peculiar to Greek southern Italy in the archaic period: A broad, thin flan, obverse depicted in relief, the reverse repeating the obverse motif but incuse, and reversed. The reasons for the popularity of this fabric are poorly understood; some scholars have postulated a connection to the mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras, who was active in Italy during this period.