Triton XV, Lot: 596. Estimate $150. Sold for $400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Phaloria. Early 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (20mm, 4.21 g, 10h). Head of nymph r., border of dots / ΦAΛOPIA above circular, ΣΣTAN below upside down and retrograde, wolf at bay to r. Unpublished except for appearances in CNG 87 (18 May 2011) 420 (same dies) and in Nomos 4, 1264 (legend variant). Near Fine, dark brown-green patina, the central areas of each side softly struck; extremely rare, the third known coin of this type.

It is interesting to note that even on the coins of a small, rustic community such as this, the ethnic is written differently on each of the two known reverse dies of the issue. Perhaps both versions of the name were in use during the time this particular type was struck.