Halos

Triton XV, Lot: 84. Estimate $200. Sold for $2500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Halos (IACP 435)

Situated in Achaia Phthiotis, ancient Halos was perhaps located near the modern town of Almyros (which is itself located on the fertile plain known as "Crocus Field"). According to Herodotos (7.173.1) the Greek fleet disembarked an army of 10,000 at Halos in advance of Xerxes' approach on the Vale of Tempe in 480 BC. There have been some recent excavations but the most prominent remains are those of fortifications. The most important deity was Zeus Laphystios, who had a sanctuary there and appears on the city’s coinage.

The city produced a relatively small but attractive bronze coinage in the 4th-3rd centuries BC, beginning with a small issue of beautiful late classical coins in the mid 4th century BC; all the rest is Hellenistic and dates to the 3rd century BC.

THESSALY, Halos. Early to mid 4th century BC. Æ Chalkous (16mm, 2.66 g, 12h). Fine style head of Zeus l., laureate and bearded, in front, thunderbolt; all in a circle of dots / ΑΛΕ-Ω-[И] from top l., r. circular, Helle, draped, seated sideways and looking r., on ram flying r., her l. hand guiding it by applying pressure on the side of its head and with her r. hand leaning on its back. Reinders series 3 (same dies as the BM piece illustrated in Reinders); Rogers 240, fig. 113; NC 1899, p. 7, 4 and pl. VII, 1 (same obv. die). VF, green patina with turquoise undertones, reverse a little off centre, a very rare coin of the finest style.

Ex CNG 76/1 (12 September 2007) Morcom 375, hammer $500; ex Pozzi collection (not listed in catalogue).

See the BCD note after lot 1056 in Nomos 4.