Ainianes. Hypata. Lot of 3 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 32. Estimate $100. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 3 coins.

(32.1) THESSALY, Ainianes. Hypata. 4th century BC. Æ Chalkous (14mm, 2.15 g, 6h). Head of Athena l., wearing a Corinthian helmet / ΑΙΝΙΑΝ r. down, ΩΝ l. up, Phemios, naked but for chlamys over his shoulder and sword in scabbard, shooting sling to right; behind, leaning against his right leg, two spears. Not in Rogers and probably unpublished. VF, nice smooth dark green patina. Extremely rare.

This neat looking coin must have served as the smallest denomination in the initial group of bronzes that were issued to replace silver fractions around the middle of the 4th century BC. Its reverse is certainly from the same hand that engraved the dies for the reverse of the bigger denominations (see lot 31.1 above).

(32.2) THESSALY, Ainianes. Hypata. 4th century BC. Æ Chalkous (14mm, 2.66 g, 11h). Head of Athena r., wearing a Corinthian helmet / Α[ΙΝΙ]Α[Ν] r. down, ΩΝ l. up, Phemios, naked but for chlamys over his shoulder and sword in scabbard, shooting sling to right; behind, leaning against his right leg, two spears. Not in Rogers and probably unpublished. VF, dark green patina, minor surface roughness, some flatness of strike on the reverse. Extremely rare.

This coin looks a little later than the previous one but this is probably due to a less accomplished engraver rather than a significant lapse of time between their striking.

(32.3) THESSALY, Ainianes. Hypata. 4th century BC (?). Æ Chalkous (12mm, 2.07 g, 7h). Head of Athena r., wearing a Corinthian helmet / [ΑΙΝΙ]Α[Ν] r. down, ΩΝ l. up, Phemios, naked but for chlamys over his shoulder and sword in scabbard, shooting sling to right; behind, leaning against his right leg, two spears. Not in Rogers and probably unpublished. Near VF, green patina but the rev. off centre and the inscription hardly showing. Extremely rare.

This coin could also belong to the early part of the 3rd century BC. Similarly styled Athena heads from the Lokri mint were dated “last quarter of the 4th century or later”. See BCD Lokris - Phokis, NAC 55 (8 October 2010) 124.5 as an example of a very similar looking Athena.