Triton XV, Lot: 148. Estimate $200. Sold for $1400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Larissa. Late second quarter of the 5th century BC. AR Obol (11mm, 1.09 g, 3h). Head and neck of bull r., the head turned to face the viewer, all in a dotted circle / ΑΛ upwards, head and neck of bridled horse r., all in incuse square. Liampi, Corpus, p. 105, 18 (V10-R11), pl. 4, 36. Near EF, lightly toned with an attractive obverse, die flaws on the sides of the reverse incuse, the Α of the legend is partly covered by the “wall” of the incuse.

There is no die flaw where the Α of the inscription meets the “wall” of the incuse square. The only explanation is that the engraver first cut the Λ and then he discovered he did not have enough room for a full Α, so he “hid” part of it “behind” the “wall” of the incuse.