Nomos AG
Auction 26 21 May 2023
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ARGOLIS. Troizen. Circa 431-400 BC. Tritartemorion or 3/4 Obol (Silver, 8 mm, 0.49 g, 12 h). Head of Athena to left, wearing a taenia and with her long hair falling down the back of her neck. Rev. ΤΡΟ Trident head upwards; all within an incuse square. BCD Peloponnesos 1335 (this coin). BMC 10-11 var. Cf. Traité II, 3, 695 and pl. CCXVIII, 3 (a later example, dating to the 360s). Extremely rare. Very well-centered and of fine style. Slightly rough surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions and from the BCD Collection, LHS 96, 8 May 1996, 1335.
It should be noted that Troizen's silver coinage was, exceptionally for a Peloponnesian city, struck on the Attic standard. While earlier writers have termed later pieces of the same weight obols, this is quite impossible - thus, this piece is termed an 3/4 obol here. As BCD pointed out, however, the Attic 3/4 obol = an Aeginetic hemiobol, which would have made this coin most convenient for use in the Argolid.
From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions and from the BCD Collection, LHS 96, 8 May 1996, 1335.
It should be noted that Troizen's silver coinage was, exceptionally for a Peloponnesian city, struck on the Attic standard. While earlier writers have termed later pieces of the same weight obols, this is quite impossible - thus, this piece is termed an 3/4 obol here. As BCD pointed out, however, the Attic 3/4 obol = an Aeginetic hemiobol, which would have made this coin most convenient for use in the Argolid.