160, Lot: 26. Estimate $150. Sold for $90. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BOEOTIA, Tanagra. Early-mid 4th century BC. AR Obol (9mm, 0.93 g). Boeotian shield / Forepart of horse right in incuse concave circle. BCD Boiotia 266 (this coin); SNG Copenhagen -; Traité III 349, pl. CCIV, 13; Pozzi 1397 = Pozzi (Boutin) 3221; SNG Delepierre 1341 (same dies). Good VF, even cabinet tone, minor porosity.

Ex BCD Collection (Triton IX, 10 January 2006), lot 266; Stack's 15 March 1979, lot 110.

It is assumed here that the anepigraphic reverses are the earliest among the many varieties of Tanagra's Hellenistic obols. At this stage though it must be pointed out that the order in the arrangement of these series in this catalogue is arbitrary. Some effort has been made to take into account engraving styles, fabric and the general look of the coins but these can in no way be the only governing factors in such an arrangement. In fact, nothing short of a die study will ever begin to untangle the problem and even then there is the possibility that some groups will not die-link between them and therefore leave uncertainties concerning the definitive chronological order of this extensive series.