Elegant Dies – Ex Hunt Collection

CNG 87, Lot: 189. Estimate $10000. Sold for $22000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BRUTTIUM, Kaulonia. Circa 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (31mm, 7.72 g, 12h). Apollo advancing right, holding branch; small daimon running right on Apollo's left arm; KAVΛ to left; to right, stag standing right, head reverted / Incuse of obverse, but branch and daimon in raised outline and no ethnic. Noe, Caulonia Group A, 10; HN Italy 2035; SNG ANS 146; Jameson 408; Boston MFA 172 = Warren 138 (all from the same dies). Good VF, attractively toned. Struck from elegant dies.

From the George & Julia Fekula Collection. Ex Nelson Bunker Hunt Collection (Sotheby’s, 19 June 1991), lot 45.

Kaulonia was one of a number of Achaian colonies established in Magna Graecia in the seventh century BC. It is not certain whether it was founded by new colonists from the Peloponnesos or whether it was founded by the Achaians of Kroton. Kaulonia’s coinage began in the later sixth century, and was one of the many incuse types that marked the beginning of coinage in Italy. Apollo, the patron deity of Kaulonia, and his associated iconography were the primary types featured on the coins. In the early fourth century Kaulonia joined with Sybaris and Kroton in a league that was defeated by Dionysios I of Syracuse in 389/8 BC. Although the city was left intact, this event marked the cessation of its coinage.