From the Pixodarus Hoard

Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 107. Estimate $7500.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off THRACE, Thasos. Circa 411-340 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.07 g, 9h). Wreathed head of Dionysos left, with pointed beard and diadem-like feature over the wreath / Herakles, wearing lion skin, kneeling right, drawing bow; thunderbolt to lower right, all within linear square. Pixodarus 53a (A33/P49 - this coin); West 39; cf. Le Rider, Thasiennes 23; SNG Copenhagen -. Good VF, toned, minor porosity, light double strike on reverse. Rare.

Ex Schweizerischer Bankverein 33 (20-22 September 1993), lot 200; Schweizerischer Bankverein 6 (19 April 1980), lot 42; Pixodarus Hoard (CH 9, 421).

Although West’s absolute chronology for this period is debatable, his relative chronology appears to be broadly accurate, and was followed by A. Meadows in his study of the Thasian coins in the Pixodarus Hoard. Generally, the development of the reverse dies follows a similar pattern in contemporary Greek issues: the earliest dies have the type within a square incuse. This is followed by issues with the type within a circular incuse. The circular incuse eventually gives way to dies without any incuse at all. While the characteristics of strike often make differentiating the latter two difficult, the present coin clearly has no incuse on the reverse, and is thus from the latest dies. Also of significance is the style of the obverse, which is among the best in the series. Dionysos is typically depicted in an idealized fashion, but on the dies of this issue (two are known), his appearance is lifelike, with wavy locks of hair and a protruding, pointed beard, both reminiscent of contemporary regal portraits. Moreover, there is a diadem-like feature that was engraved over the wreath on these, an addition to the portrait that has apparently been overlooked by numismatists. As this issue is closer to 340 BC, it may be contemporary with the time of Philip II. Perhaps this portrait was influenced by the features of the Macedonian king?