Lot 4281

Description

Euboia, Karystos, (c.350 B.C.), AE9, (1.15 g), obv. bearded head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin, rev. filleted forepart of bull right, (S.-, BCD Euboia 582 = Pozzi (Boutin) 3338, D.M. Robinson, Excavations at Olynthus, Part III: The Coins found at Olynthus in 1928 (1931), p.48 and Pl. IX, Lanz BCD Catalogue No.111). Toned, nearly very fine and very rare - the third known example.

Physical comparison with a rare bronze issue of Thurium (BMC 140) has shown that this coin does not belong there. This Herakles is older, bearded and has much in common with the early Karystos drachms (see nos. 552 and 553 of this catalogue). Also, the sacrificial fillets are clear on this coin but absent on the Thurium coin. On the other hand, the bent foreleg of the animal in profile is clear on the South Italian coin but not present here. However, there is some similarity to the earliest small bronzes of the League (see catalogue nos. 39 and 40). An important early Karystos bronze, probably the earliest of the city. This example has perhaps the clearest ethnic of the few known specimens.