Two Extremely Rare Issues of Kephallenia

CNG 85, Lot: 377. Estimate $500. Sold for $2100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off ELIS, Kephallenia. Kranion. Late 5th century BC. AR Hemiobol (7mm, 0.42 g). Hoof in profile / Quadripartite incuse square. SNG Copenhagen -; Traité III 1228 = Pozzi (Boutin) 4166 = Pozzi 1876. VF, minor porosity. Extremely rare. The first coinage of Kephallenia.

Kephallenia is the largest of the Ionian Islands, located off the western coast of Greece. According to lore, the island received its name from the mythological figure of Kephalos, who assisted Amphitryon of Mycenae in the latter's war against the Taphians and Teleboans. In return for his help, Amphitryon awarded Kephalos with an island, then called Samos, which was thereafter known as Kephallenia. Very little is known of the history of the island, but its zenith appears to have been during the Mycenaean period. The location of the island placed it along a commercial vein between Greece and the Italian poleis, which allowed the cities to flourish through trade. The coinage of Kephallenia is known from all of her four poleis, Kranion, Pale, Pronnoi, and Same. Coinage began first at Kranion in the late 5th century BC, known from very rare hemiobols with hoof on the obverse and quadripartite incuse reverse. By the early 4th century BC, Kranion had established a prolific series of silver fractions as well as a bronze coinage. The types had developed into a diverse variety, although a standing ram on the obverse and its hoof or a bow on the reverse were predominant. The city ethnic and sometimes letters representing the denomination were placed on the coins as well. At this time, the other poleis also began to issue coins, though they were not quite as prolific as Kranion. None of the cities issued coins larger than silver fractions, suggesting that, although her cities were involved in the trade between Italy and Greece, coinage did not play a significant role, and was primarily for local use. The Greek coinage of Kephallenia came to an end with the arrival of the Romans circa 189 BC.