ANCIENT GREEK COINS
(Spain & Italy)


1907 Thomas Virzi Provenance


HISPANIA APULIA BRUTTIUM CALABRIA CAMPANIA
FRENTANI LUCANIA SAMNIUM UMBRIUM UNCERTAIN


10224. HISPANIA, SPAIN, KELSE. Circa 133-100 BC. AE Unit (27mm, 12.39 g, 9h). Male head right; three dolphins around / Horseman riding right, holding palm. CNH 11; SNG BM Spain 797-804. Good VF, dark green patina. Much better than fuzzy photo! Scarce.

$250.



10593. HISPANIA, SPAIN, OBULCO. Late 2nd century BC. AE29, 13.1 gm. Female head right; CX behind / L. AIMIL/M.IVNI in two lines across field; above, plow left; below, grain ear left and X; AID vertically to right. CNH 54; SNG BM Spain 1459-61. Good VF, green patina with earthen highlights. Scarce. Better than photo.

$200.



BRUTTIUM

EXCELLENT EXAMPLE

6474. BRUTTIUM, THE BRETTII. Circa 211-208 BC. AE18 reduced Semuncia. Winged bust of Nike left; thunderbolt below / Zeus driving galloping biga left; grape cluster below. Scheu 46; SNG ANS 112; Rutter, HN 1989. EF. Choice sharp example with beautiful glossy forest green patina.

$450.



EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE

7877. ITALY, BRUTTIUM, LOKRI EPIZEPHYROI, c. 300-268 BC. AE24. Laureate head of Zeus right. / Winged thunderbolt. EF. SNG ANS 540 var. (Zeus left); Rutter, HN 2358 var. (caduceus on obverse); SNG Copenhagen -. Choice example with excellent strike.

$350.



CALABRIA

LUCANIA

8899. LUCANIA, METAPONTUM, LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 340-330 BC. AR Nomos (18mm, 7.77 g., 11h). Helmeted head of Leukippos right; behind, lion head right; monogram below chin / Barley ear of seven grains with leaf to left; club above leaf, AMI below. Sear 415, Johnston Class B, 2; HN Italy 1575. AEF.

The head of the hero Leukippos on this coin is particularly elegant. He was a mythical king of Messene whom the Metapontines claimed as the founder of their city. His appearance on the coins almost certainly serves as an allusion to the help given to Metapontum by Alexander the Molossian, another king from across the sea. The mythological hero Leukippos (his name means owner of a white horse, i.e., a wealthy man) was particularly popular in Metapontum, appearing on the obverse of many of the city's nomoi, or staters, starting c. 350 BC. This helmeted and bearded head also served as a prototype for Rome's early didrachms with a similar head of Mars. Commentary courtesy CNG.

$950.