Lot 3436

Description

Ionia, Smyrna, (c.2nd-1st century B.C.), AE 21, (8.68 g), obv. laureate head of Apollo to right, rev. the poet Homer seated to left with the Magistrates names Kratinos and Kratinou, to right **ZMURN[AIWN]* above, to left in two lines KPATINO**S* KPATINOY*, (S.4571, Milne NC 1927, 290 [p.86]). Dark green patina, nearly very fine/very fine, with reverse slightly off centred, very rare group of magistrates, with a fine figure of the seated Homer.

Ex J.P. Righetti Collection (8072) with his ticket. 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 Smrna mentioned by Strabo.