Lucania, Herakleia Æ 14mm. Circa 3rd-2nd century BC. Helmeted head of Athena to right / Marine deity (Glaukos?) to right, holding spear and shield; |-HPAKΛEIΩN below. Van Keuren 144; HN Italy 1437; SNG ANS 118-21; SNG Copenhagen 1141; HGC 1, 1015 (R2); Roma 90, 17 (hammer: £420). 2.55g, 14mm, 3h.
Near Extremely Fine. Scarce.
From the Italo Vecchi Collection;
Ex Naville Numismatics Ltd., Auction 66, 27 June 2021, lot 11.
In Greek mythology, Glaukos was a Greek prophetic sea-god, born mortal and turned immortal upon eating a magical herb. It was believed that he commonly came to the rescue of sailors and fishermen in storms, having earlier earned a living from the sea himself.