Lot 4128

Description

Thraco-Macedonian Region, uncertain, (c.480-460 B.C.. silver obol (1.10 g), obv. male goat kneeling right on dotted groundline, rev. quadripartite incuse square, (S.-, HPM pl. III, 22 var. [slightly different incuse], SNG ANS 66 (Aigai), Sheedy, Non-Parian Group 3). Very fine and very rare.

Ex CNG Sale 60, May 22, 2002 (lot 606, hammer $340US) where it was described as a silver obol from the Cyclades from the island of Paros (c.510-475 B.C.).
CNG notes in Sale 311 (lot 508) that J. Svoronos, in HPM (pp. 34-5), set forth an argument for not assigning certain goat-type coins to Aigai in Macedon, based on the gender of the goat depicted. The canting type of goat is a play on the Greek word for goat, and is used for mint cities whose ethnic began with the syllable aig. Svoronos argued that must refer to a female goat, as a male goat would have a different name. The foundation myths of Aigai in Justin also use the Latin form for a she-goat, capra. Thus, any depiction of a male goat would rule-out attributing such a coin to Aigai. This argument has been largely ignored, or unnoticed, as many still attribute all goat issues of the Macedonian region to Aigai. More recently, however, O. Picard (in "Les monnaies au bouc attribu?es ? Aigai" in BSFN 50/6 [1995]) and C. Lorber (in Lorber, Goats), have revived Svoronos' theory and convincingly argue in its favour. As this coin clearly shows a male goat, its attribution cannot be to Aigai. Similarly, as the goat is not looking backward, it does not fit into the group Lorber has now attributed to the Krestones/Migdones. One other possibility is that this may be an issue of Paros, but Sheedy conclusively shows that no small fractions were struck in Paros during the archaic period. As these coins typically show up in hoards of Macedonian coinage (see, e.g., Sheedy p 112), they likely belong to an uncertain tribe in the region. (courtesy CNG)