259, Lot: 49. Estimate $75. Sold for $150. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 280-213 BC. Æ (12mm, 1.13 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Apollo(?) right / Forepart of bull right, head facing; IΣ above. HN Italy -, but cf. 1932a; SNG ANS -. Near VF, dark brown patina, areas of flat strike. Extremely rare and possibly unique.

From the Colin E. Pitchfork Collection. Ex Tony Hardy Collection (Triton VIII, 12 January 2005), lot 1830 (part of).

This coin perhaps belongs to Histiaia in Euboia. The BCD collection describes a unique piece (Lanz 111, lot 531) with a similar obverse and a facing bull’s head with IΣ above. However, the legend IΣ above the forepart of the bull is similar to HN Italy 1932a, and could be as an abbreviation of IΣTI, with an otherwise identical reverse to HN Italy 1934. The letters ΣI appear on other bucranium issues of Thourioi (e.g., SNG Evelpides 298). Altogether, the attribution to Thourioi is more likely.