Lot 4962

Description

Ionia, Smyrna, (c.2nd-1st century B.C.), AE 19, (8.80 grams), obv. laureate head of Apollo to right, rev. the poet Homer seated to left with the Magistrates names Nikadas, Metrodoros and Theydas, to right **SMURNAIW[N]*, to left in three lines **POSIDEOS MOSCOU*, (S.4571, cf.BMC 107 [p.111], Hunter 55 [p.363, for Magistrates but different denomination]). Dark brown patina, very fine/nearly extremely fine and very rare, a fine figure of the seated Homer.

See article in Studia Paulo Naster Oblata I Numismatica Antiqua, "Homer on Coins from Smyrna" by C. Heyman. The author maintains that this coin’s reverse represents the Homerea a famous statue of Homer from Symrna mentioned by Strabo.