Triton XV, Lot: 465. Estimate $200. Sold for $1000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Methylion. Early to mid 4th century BC. AR Trihemiobol (13mm, 1.04 g, 7h). Youthful head r., wearing a diadem with a vertical extension to it at the front; behind, pellet / ΜΕʘYΛ[Ι] l. up, ΕΙΩΝ r. up, female figure wearing long robes, seated r. on high-backed throne, holding long staff in her r. and resting her l. on a tall, decorated, drum-like conical box (?) held between her legs; a cow stands r. in the background. See Nomos 4, 1203 (same dies). Fine, toned; some very light scratches, mostly on the obverse; very rare.

The tall drum-like box held by the female figure on the reverse may hold the key to establishing her identity. It was not noticed by ASW because the coin he examined had more wear at that particular point. The Rauch coin, from totally different dies, allows just a glimpse of the side of this box as a downwards continuation of the female figure’s hand.