Triton XV, Lot: 324. Estimate $300. Sold for $475. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Larissa. Mid to late 4th century BC. AR Hemidrachm (15.5mm, 2.96 g, 11h). Head of the nymph Larissa three-quarter facing l., wearing plain necklace and pendant earring, her hair held by an ampyx; border of dots / ΛΑΡΙ below, ΣΑΙΩ[Ν] above, horse crouching r., preparing to roll. See Gemini V (6 January 2009) 558 (same obv. die, the rev. from the same hand). VF, lightly toned and the rev. marginally off centre. An elegant portrait and surely amongst the earliest crouching horse Larissa hemidrachm obverse dies, if not the earliest.

Ex CNG 73 (13 September 2006) 186, hammer $1100.

The arrangement of the reverse legend is indicative of the early date of this hemidrachm. When the “run of the mill” pretty facing heads of the late group make their appearance, the reverse legend always starts at the top and the ethnic stays that way until the series end. The next coin, lot 325, is a nice early example of these hemidrachms that were minted alongside the stereotype late facing head drachms.