Nomos AG
Auction 26 21 May 2023
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SICILY. Unlocated Punic mint, probably Motya. Circa 405-400 BC. Trihemiobol (Silver, 11.5 mm, 1.00 g, 4 h). Π Head of an eagle to left. Rev. Crab; below, grouper (polyprium cerium) to right. Unpublished, save for its previous auction appearance. Apparently unique. Boldly struck and impressive. Extremely fine.
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, ex Münzen und Medaillen 88, 17 May 1999, 61.
While the types of this coin are immediately suggestive of Akragas, the style, the fabric and the weight very definitely are not. Hans Voegtli, who first 'published' this coin in the MM 88 catalogue, pointed out that Motya took some of her types from Akragas, especially the reverse of this coin, which exactly parallels the reverse of one of Motya's tetradrachm issues (Buceti 1b/2b = Gulbenkian I, 228 = Rizzo pl. LXV, 8). HV also suggested that this coin was struck as a trihemiobol, but why it should be is uncertain (though that denomination is given here). An unsolved enigma is the meaning of the letter pi on the obverse: if it stands for pente = 5, which would be reasonable, we have to ask five what?, and that is a question seemingly impossible to answer at this time!
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, ex Münzen und Medaillen 88, 17 May 1999, 61.
While the types of this coin are immediately suggestive of Akragas, the style, the fabric and the weight very definitely are not. Hans Voegtli, who first 'published' this coin in the MM 88 catalogue, pointed out that Motya took some of her types from Akragas, especially the reverse of this coin, which exactly parallels the reverse of one of Motya's tetradrachm issues (Buceti 1b/2b = Gulbenkian I, 228 = Rizzo pl. LXV, 8). HV also suggested that this coin was struck as a trihemiobol, but why it should be is uncertain (though that denomination is given here). An unsolved enigma is the meaning of the letter pi on the obverse: if it stands for pente = 5, which would be reasonable, we have to ask five what?, and that is a question seemingly impossible to answer at this time!