Triton XV, Lot: 152. Estimate $500. Sold for $5500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Larissa. Mid 5th century BC. AR Drachm (22mm, 5.85 g, 3h). Hero to r., with petasos over his shoulders and chlamys tied at his neck, holding a band with both his hands passing around the forehead of a bull rushing to r., below, lotus flower; border of dots / Λ-Α below, Ι-R above, the R retrograde and upside down, bridled horse with trailing rein prancing l., all within incuse square. Herrmann group III B, pl. I, 22 (same obverse die); see also Triton XIII (5 January 2010) 1127 (same dies). Good VF, toned, striking split at obv. 8 o’clock; some die rust on obv. and trace of overstriking at 1 o’clock on reverse.

The undertype showing on the reverse appears to be the corner of an incuse square with the edge of a sandal. This makes sense and also explains why the earliest drachmas of Larissa are so rare. See also lot 227 below for another case of overstriking a sandal drachm, this time with an early facing head type.