Nomos AG
Auction 26 21 May 2023
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MACEDON. Terone (?). Circa 400 BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.48 g, 7 h). Oinochoe with handle on left and with bands of fluting decorating its upper and lower thirds; border of dots. Rev. Kantharos with tall handles; in the lower left field, +; all within a shallow incuse square. Apparently unpublished except for its appearance in Bank Leu 48 in 1989. Of great rarity, possibly unique. Boldly struck and with attractive toning. Slight surface roughness, otherwise, about extremely fine.
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, and from the collection of A. Ghertsos, Bank Leu 48, 10 May 1989, 127.
While it seems likely that this coin was minted by Terone, there is no legend on the coin telling us so. We just have the curious cross symbol on the reverse, which is of little help. It is true that an oinochoe - a wine pouring vessel - is the characteristic type for Terone, but the usual version found there is an undecorated, plain-sided one, while this piece has partially fluted sides, clearly suggesting that it was made of metal rather than pottery (in Hardwick's study of the 5th and 4th century coinage of Terone there is no oinochoe like this). The only comparable coin is a tetartemorion that appeared, attributed to "Terone ?" in CNG e352, 2015, as lot 59: it has basically the same obverse, the oinochoe's handle is, however, on the right, but the reverse has the forepart of a goat; again without inscription. The CNG cataloguer suggested that it might be an imitative issue; presumably minted by a nearby town. In any case, given how well-made this coin is, it simply has to be a regular, official issue.
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions, and from the collection of A. Ghertsos, Bank Leu 48, 10 May 1989, 127.
While it seems likely that this coin was minted by Terone, there is no legend on the coin telling us so. We just have the curious cross symbol on the reverse, which is of little help. It is true that an oinochoe - a wine pouring vessel - is the characteristic type for Terone, but the usual version found there is an undecorated, plain-sided one, while this piece has partially fluted sides, clearly suggesting that it was made of metal rather than pottery (in Hardwick's study of the 5th and 4th century coinage of Terone there is no oinochoe like this). The only comparable coin is a tetartemorion that appeared, attributed to "Terone ?" in CNG e352, 2015, as lot 59: it has basically the same obverse, the oinochoe's handle is, however, on the right, but the reverse has the forepart of a goat; again without inscription. The CNG cataloguer suggested that it might be an imitative issue; presumably minted by a nearby town. In any case, given how well-made this coin is, it simply has to be a regular, official issue.