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.

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.