Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 525 19-20 Oct 2022
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THRACE, Ainos. Circa 459/8-458/7 BC. AR Drachm (13.5mm, 3.89 g, 3h). Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos / Goat standing right; to lower right, owl standing facing with wings spread; all within incuse square. May, Ainos –; AMNG II –; HGC 3, 1270 var. (unlisted symbol). Granular surfaces. Near VF. Well centered. Very rare, unpublished issue.
On plate VII of May's die study, there is a drachm of this type oddly numbered 459 that may have the same symbol as present here. However, the symbol is mostly obscured on the plate, and there is no reference to this coin in the text. The dating given here corresponds to an issue of tetradrachms, May Group XI, which has a symbol of an owl standing right. Whether this drachm is an unpublished denomination for the tetradrachm issue is uncertain, but the symbols on the drachms usually are direct copies of that used on the tetradrachms. This would suggest the two denominations are unrelated, but such an early issue may predate any rigid standardization of such elements at the mint.
On plate VII of May's die study, there is a drachm of this type oddly numbered 459 that may have the same symbol as present here. However, the symbol is mostly obscured on the plate, and there is no reference to this coin in the text. The dating given here corresponds to an issue of tetradrachms, May Group XI, which has a symbol of an owl standing right. Whether this drachm is an unpublished denomination for the tetradrachm issue is uncertain, but the symbols on the drachms usually are direct copies of that used on the tetradrachms. This would suggest the two denominations are unrelated, but such an early issue may predate any rigid standardization of such elements at the mint.