Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1302. Estimate CHF800. Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011. Sold For CHF10000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee. |
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THESSALY, Pherai. Circa 460-440 BC. Drachm (Silver, 5.70 g 7). The hero Thessalos, nude but for petasos and cloak hanging from his neck, bending to left, restraining bull with a band and forcing him down to left; on ground below, dolphin swimming right and, barely visible, lion’s head spout to left.
Rev. Φ-ΕRΑ-ΙΟΝ Bridled horse running to left with trailing rein; all within shallow incuse square. SNG Copenhagen 234 (
same dies). Rare. Nicely toned but with traces of horn silver and old corrosion underneath. Nearly extremely fine.
The early drachm coinage of Pherai is quite rare; this example is unusually lively and attractive with its scene of the youthful Thessalos quite literally wrestling the bull to the ground.