Olosson

Triton XV, Lot: 495. Estimate $150. Sold for $600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Olosson (IACP 467)

Ancient Olosson was in Perrhaibia and served as their mint. There are some ancient remains at the site and it subsequently functioned as a medieval fortress.

In addition to striking coins for the Perrhaibians, Olosson also issued very rare municipal bronze coins in the first half of the 4th century BC.

THESSALY, Olosson. First half of the 4th century BC. Æ Dichalkon (16mm, 4.08 g, 2h). Thessalian cavalryman, wearing chlamys and petasos, on horse prancing r., linear circle / ΟΛΟ to l., downwards and outwards, Zeus Keraunios striding r., hurling thunderbolt with his r., an eagle sits on his extended l. See Nomos 4, 1218 var. [here only the first three letters of the ethnic are inscribed on the die]. Near VF, brown patina with some marks and a few flaws that could be from overstriking; a coin of the highest rarity.

Ex Amphora (David Hendin) list 50 (November 1992) 118, for $40.

The coinage of Perrhaiboi as a tribe was quite extensive but this issue, in the name of their capital city, must have been struck for a special reason, unknown to us. For more information on this exceptional coin the reader can refer to the article cited by ASW in the description of lot 1218 in Nomos 4.