Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1279. Estimate CHF250.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF2000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Pharsalos. Mid 5th century BC. Obol (Silver, 0.99 g 12). Head of Athena to right wearing Attic helmet adorned with serpents. Rev. Φ-Α-R Horse’s head to right; all within incuse square. Lavva 4 a(this coin, but not obverse 3 as she says. Nicely toned and attractive. Minor fault below horse’s neck truncation, with traces of the letter R from the legend superimposed upon it. Extremely fine.

The reverse of this coin poses a problem since there is a die break that has part of a letter on it (the upper half of the rho), which would suggest that after the die was damaged, and the letter obscured, it was replaced by a version with the letter recut into the die break! Needless to say, Lavva has not noticed this; in addition, she has also not noticed that the coins of her number 4 are struck from at least two different obverse dies.