Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1320. Estimate CHF4000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF16000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Pherai. Circa 302-286 BC. Stater (Silver, 11.31 g 12). Head of the nymph Hypereia to right, wearing triple-pendant earring, pearl necklace and wreath of reeds; behind head, lion spout with water pouring from its open jaws. Rev. ΦΕΡΑΙΟΥΝ Ennodia, draped and holding torch in both hands, seated facing, her head to right, on horse galloping to right; in field to left, within wreath, ΑΣΤ / ΟΜΕ / ΔΟΝ. Traité IV, 606, pl. CCXCIV, 8. Extremely rare. A lovely coin engraved in a fine early Hellenistic style. Good very fine.

This coin has been dated to a variety of periods: to the time of Jason of Pherai by Babelon and Kraay, to the time of Lycophron by Bloesch in the Winterthur catalogue and to the time of Demetrios Poliorketes in the BMC. In fact, the last is surely correct, given the legend and the fabric.