Nomos AG
Auction 27 22 May 2023
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MACEDON. Amphipolis. 356/5 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 14.38 g, 1 h), "Type O, grain ear issue". Laureate head of Apollo facing, turned slightly to the right. Rev. ΑΜΦ-ΙΠO-ΛΙΤ-ΩΝ Race torch, with flame to left and with a small grain ear to right, with a linear square surrounded by a square raised border; all within a shallow incuse square. Lorber 45 (O25/R36) = AMNG III/2, 9 and pl. VIII, 10 = Traité II, 4, 1101a and pl. CCCXXI, 1 (these dies). Very rare. A wonderfully attractive coin with a noble, albeit pensively divine, 'portrait' of Apollo, struck in high relief from dies by a master engraver. Extremely fine.
Acquired privately from a European collection in the early 2000s, and originally acquired in the early 1990s.
This exceptional coin bears a remarkably powerful head of Apollo, free from both the overly feminizing traits he can sometimes have, and the hard masculinity that characterizes a number of his other portraits. He appears to have a very serious but understanding expression, as if he is about to take a decision, but one he does not wish to do without deep reflexion. This was struck from one of the finest of all the obverse dies used at Amphipolis. The fact that this coin was issued solely to be used to pay state bills or in trade makes the quality of the engraving all the more admirable. Only the Greeks could have dreamt of making an object of daily use so artistically perfect. This is especially true because facing heads are very difficult to make successfully: others from Amphipolis and elsewhere can be positively thug-like!
Acquired privately from a European collection in the early 2000s, and originally acquired in the early 1990s.
This exceptional coin bears a remarkably powerful head of Apollo, free from both the overly feminizing traits he can sometimes have, and the hard masculinity that characterizes a number of his other portraits. He appears to have a very serious but understanding expression, as if he is about to take a decision, but one he does not wish to do without deep reflexion. This was struck from one of the finest of all the obverse dies used at Amphipolis. The fact that this coin was issued solely to be used to pay state bills or in trade makes the quality of the engraving all the more admirable. Only the Greeks could have dreamt of making an object of daily use so artistically perfect. This is especially true because facing heads are very difficult to make successfully: others from Amphipolis and elsewhere can be positively thug-like!