Lot 1620

Description

Italy, Lucania, Metapontum, (c.520 B.C.), silver stater, (7.444 grams) on broad thin flan, obv. ear of corn in high relief, to left ME to right TA, circled border with dots, rev. ear of corn incuse, lined incused border, (cf.S.235, Noe [NN&M 32] Class IV, No.89, SNG ANS 195, [same dies], SNG Cop. 1160 [same dies]). Some minor obverse corrosion on lower edge, otherwise good very fine and rare.

Ex Baldwin's Auctions, Sale 24, 9-10th October 2000 (lot678). A detailed discussion occurs in Ann Johnston additions and corrections to Sydney P. Noe's book on the Coinage of Metapontum Parts I & 2, New York, 1984, pps. 1-6 and pps. 35-49. This example in the middle group of dies in the series. The coinage is still considered to begin c.550-540 B.C.