Lot 2110

Sale 140 · Important Australian, British, World, and Ancient Coins, Banknotes, and Medals

Description

Macedon, Akanthos, (c.470-430 B.C.), silver tetrobol (15.5mm, 2.42 g), obv. forepart of bull left, head right, with extended tongue, rev. quadripartite incuse square, (cf.S.1369, otherwise apparently unpublished). Deeply toned, some surface porosity, nearly very fine and extremely rare.

Ex Anthony "Tony" Taylor Collection.^CNG Auction 439, lot 19. From the Belgica Collection.^^The style of this coin appears to be a hybrid between the previously known early Attic tetrobols with the Akanthos flower above the bull, and the later Thraco-Macedonian tetrobols with various symbols or letters appearing above the bull. Here, the bull's head is perfectly in profile and the incuse has plain quarters, both like the Attic issues, but the overall style and weight are more aligned to the Thraco-Macedonian series. Although it seems that the weight of this coin is Thraco-Macedonian, it is still close enough to the theoretical 2.60 grams of the Attic standard that it may simply be on the light end of the spectrum. (per CNG)^

Estimate
$500
Result Status
Passed in