Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 8. Estimate CHF8500.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF8000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LUCANIA, Serdaioi. c. 500-475. Diobol (Silver, 1.24 g). ΣΕΡ Head of Dionysos to right, with long pointed beard, torc-like necklace and, possibly, a wreath over his brow. Rev. Bunch of grapes. De Luynes 1139 (same dies). HN III 1718 (”triobol”). Extremely rare, one of three known examples). Lightly toned. Rough surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the SF Collection, USA, ex Gorny & Mosch 185, 8 March 2010, 7.

The coinage of the Serdaioi has been a controversial one, if only for the fact that the site from which the coins come has yet to be found. It has been attributed to Sardina and to Sicily (as in de Luynes) but it was certainly in Lucania. Given the style of the coin, so reminiscent of the earliest issues of Naxos, it may be that it is marginally earlier than the date given here.