Lot 5078

Description

Boiotia, Federal Coinage, Uncertain Mint (Thebes?), Silver hemidrachm, 387-374 B.C. (Head chronology) but more likely 304-294 B.C., (2.70 grams), obv. Boiotian shield, rev. amphora within incuse square, without pellets or letters, (S.-, BCD 65 [p.23, Triton IX, similar dies], Head 'Boeotia' p.58, BMC 20-22 [p.34, Pl.V, 7]). Bright, off centred obverse otherwise very fine and rare.

This enigmatic series of coins which were dated far too early by Head (who had no hoard information) were probably struck when Demetrius Poliorcetes ’liberated’ Thebes, or during the decade that followed. The Talanta (1948) hoard (CH III, 31), with a burial date of c. 280 B.C, would point to a minting date for these coins of circa 300 B.C. They are almost never encountered well centered on both sides and sharply struck at the same time, which also speaks for their late date. For Head’s listing of these coins see Head, ’Boeotia’, pp. 57-60.