Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 134 21 Nov 2022
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Greek Coins. Corinthia, Corinth.
Stater circa 545-500, AR 8.41 g. Bridled Pegasus flying l.; below, koppa. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square with projections in each quarter. Ravel 39. SNG Fitzwilliam 3314 (these dies). Weber 3645 (these dies). BCD Korinth 3.
Very rare. A fine specimen of this desirable and important issue of superb Archaic
style. Struck on a very large flan and with a superb old cabinet tone.
A graffito on reverse and minor encrustation, otherwise extremely fine
Ex NAC sale 4, 1991, 120. From a Distinguished Swiss collection.
One of the earliest coinages of the Greeks was produced in Corinth, a city at the juncture of the mainland and the Peloponnesus. It was an ideal staging point for trade throughout Greece, and to the west, where many Greeks had established colonies in Italy and Sicily. Between Corinth and the Greek cities in Magna Graecia lay the westernmost regions of the Greek mainland – Illyria, Epirus, Acarnania, and the island of Corcyra – all locations where Corinthian colonies would later issue their own versions of the famous Corinthian 'colts'. The primitive 'mill sail' punch on the reverse of the very earliest of Corinthian staters soon was replaced with a more refined incuse punch bearing a swastika-like pattern, like on this coin. It is now generally believed that the three earliest coinages in Greece were those of Aegina, Corinth and Athens, all of which were introduced soon after the Lydian King Croesus (c.560-546 B.C.) had abandoned electrum in favour of a bi-metallic coinage. This is a significant departure from the thoughts of early scholars, who tended to date the first Corinthian staters perhaps a century earlier than current evidence supports. Barclay Head, for example, dated the present type to 657- 625 B.C., during the time of Cypselus. It is now supposed that the Aegina turtles were the first Greek coins, commencing in about 555/50 B.C. Following in quick succession were the colts of Corinth, perhaps as early as c.555 B.C., but perhaps closer to c.550 B.C., and the Wappenmünzen ('heraldic coins') of Athens, starting in about 545 B.C. Dates as precise as these, however, must be taken with a grain of salt, as they are ever subject to revision upon the discovery of new evidence.
Stater circa 545-500, AR 8.41 g. Bridled Pegasus flying l.; below, koppa. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square with projections in each quarter. Ravel 39. SNG Fitzwilliam 3314 (these dies). Weber 3645 (these dies). BCD Korinth 3.
Very rare. A fine specimen of this desirable and important issue of superb Archaic
style. Struck on a very large flan and with a superb old cabinet tone.
A graffito on reverse and minor encrustation, otherwise extremely fine
Ex NAC sale 4, 1991, 120. From a Distinguished Swiss collection.
One of the earliest coinages of the Greeks was produced in Corinth, a city at the juncture of the mainland and the Peloponnesus. It was an ideal staging point for trade throughout Greece, and to the west, where many Greeks had established colonies in Italy and Sicily. Between Corinth and the Greek cities in Magna Graecia lay the westernmost regions of the Greek mainland – Illyria, Epirus, Acarnania, and the island of Corcyra – all locations where Corinthian colonies would later issue their own versions of the famous Corinthian 'colts'. The primitive 'mill sail' punch on the reverse of the very earliest of Corinthian staters soon was replaced with a more refined incuse punch bearing a swastika-like pattern, like on this coin. It is now generally believed that the three earliest coinages in Greece were those of Aegina, Corinth and Athens, all of which were introduced soon after the Lydian King Croesus (c.560-546 B.C.) had abandoned electrum in favour of a bi-metallic coinage. This is a significant departure from the thoughts of early scholars, who tended to date the first Corinthian staters perhaps a century earlier than current evidence supports. Barclay Head, for example, dated the present type to 657- 625 B.C., during the time of Cypselus. It is now supposed that the Aegina turtles were the first Greek coins, commencing in about 555/50 B.C. Following in quick succession were the colts of Corinth, perhaps as early as c.555 B.C., but perhaps closer to c.550 B.C., and the Wappenmünzen ('heraldic coins') of Athens, starting in about 545 B.C. Dates as precise as these, however, must be taken with a grain of salt, as they are ever subject to revision upon the discovery of new evidence.