Triton XV, Lot: 173. Estimate $300. Sold for $1700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Larissa. Early to mid 4th century BC. AR Drachm (20.5mm, 6.18 g, 2h). Thessalos to l., naked but for chlamys and petasos flying in the air behind him, holding a band with both hands around the forehead of a bull leaping l., all within a dotted circle / ΛΑΡΙ above, ΣΑΙΑ below, bridled horse galloping r., his rein loose and trailing, all in an incuse square. Winterthur 1695 (same obverse die); see also M. Kampmann (Platt) 22 October 1987, 64 (same dies). Good VF, attractively toned and with the usual die flaw on the obverse ground line.

Schweizerische Kreditanstalt 5 (18 April 1986) 162; Münzen und Medaillen 47 (30 November 1972) 460.

This coin was bought by Dennis Kroh at the above Swiss Credit auction for a hammer price of CHF 1350 and soon after sold to this writer for $ 1000. When the buyer’s premium and the exchange rate of that time are calculated, the dealer’s profit comes to practically nil. But Dennis was just this kind of person, in the opinion of this writer one of the nicest people to ever deal in ancient coins. He is now living in Florida, dealing in guns, but I am sure that coins will always be close to his heart, the same way he himself is remembered by the collectors who knew him and dealt with him.