Phalanna. Lot of 9 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 591. Estimate $400. Sold for $1000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 9 coins.

(591.1) THESSALY, Phalanna. Late 4th century BC. Æ Trichalkon (19.5mm, 6.80 g, 3h). Youthful male head r., behind, ʘ, border of dots / [Φ]A[Λ]A-NNAIΩ[N] from above l., r. down and circular, head of nymph r., wearing pendant earring composed of an ornamental circular element and three elongated appendages hanging from it, her hair bound in a sakkos tying behind. SNG München 151. Near VF, green patina with a few minor red corrosion spots.

Both this and the next lot, 591.2, could easily be 3rd century coins exhibiting better quality artwork than other, contemporary pieces. The obverse style of this one is particularly attractive and the reverse of the next coin would also be quite pleasing to the eye if it wasn’t so worn.

(591.2) THESSALY, Phalanna. Late 4th century BC. Æ Trichalkon (19mm, 7.17 g, 3h). Youthful male head r., behind, T, border of dots / ΦA[ΛA]NNAIΩ-N from above l., r. down and circular, head of nymph r., wearing beaded necklace and pendant earring composed of an ornamental circular element and three elongated appendages hanging from it, her hair bound in a sakkos tying behind; in lower field l., pellet. Rogers 448. Good Fine, brown patina with bronze surfaces showing under it, mostly on the obverse.

Acquired from Dr. Michael Brandt, January 1991, for DM 50.


(591.3) THESSALY, Phalanna. Late 4th century BC. Æ Dichalkon (17mm, 3.42 g, 9h). Youthful male head r., border of dots / ΦAΛANAIΩN (sic) from above l., to r. circular, head of nymph r., her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. SNG Cop. 207 (same obv. die and same style rev.); see also Walcher de Molthein 1216 (same obv. die). Near VF, dark brown patina; well struck on a wide flan, a pleasing specimen.

The spelling mistake on the ethnic is the only one (for Phalanna) that has come to the attention of this writer.

(591.4) THESSALY, Phalanna. 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (18.5mm, 5.12 g, 1h). Youthful male head r. / ΦA[ΛANNAIΩ]N from l., above and to r., circular, head of nymph r., wearing beaded necklace and triple pendant earring, her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. Lindgren II, 1407 (this coin); see also Helios 6 (9 March 2011) 501 (same obv. hand, same rev. die). Near VF, green patina, rev. slightly off centre. From the collection of Professor Henry Clay Lindgren.

Acquired from Professor Lindgren, May 1991, for $85.

We usually tend to idolize people after they depart this world but no praise could be excessive for Professor Lindgren. For this writer, a visit to San Francisco had only two sides to it, Frank Kovacs and Professor Lingdren, and it was heads or tails who would be visited first. Frank had always a few obscure and exciting surprises in store, priced and ready to be sold, but with Professor Lindgren one had to dig them out himself. There was a man who had all the remainder of his life sorted out, practically predicted; the only difference between dying tomorrow and living for several decades longer (as he actually did) was the amount of money his inheritors would get. So, with the passage of time, more and more of his coins became available. Finally, the ones that were left were the coins he really loved, not so much because they were expensive or pretty but because they meant something to him. Those coins he held on to as if his life depended on them but he was clever enough to add at the end of the day...”perhaps next time”. It was after such an unsuccessful and frustrating visit when this collector decided that one day all his coins would go, no exceptions, no favourites, no coins that stay behind because they bring back memories. And when the BCD sales started he found out that the most difficult ones to part with were the gifts. Perhaps because as a little boy he was brainwashed never to give away gifts, they were something sacred that should be kept forever. So every time there is a note about a coin being a gift of a good friend, the reader should close his eyes and try to feel how it is when something you love is wrenched out of you, taking with it a small part of your heart.

(591.5) THESSALY, Phalanna. 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (19mm, 6.86 g, 12h). Youthful male head r., behind neck, A; border of dots / ΦAΛANNAIΩN from above l., to r. and circular, head of nymph r., wearing beaded necklace and pendant earring, her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. SNG Christomanos 422. Good Fine, dark green patina with red undertones; a small die flaw under the nose on the obverse.


(591.6) THESSALY, Phalanna. 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (19mm, 5.32 g, 7h). Youthful male head r., border of dots / ΦAΛANNAIΩN from l., above and r. down circular, head of nymph r., wearing plain necklace and drop earring, her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. Rogers 452, fig. 244; McClean 4671, pl. 175, 6. Near VF, dark green patina with some red areas.

Acquired March 1987 and said to have been found in northern Greece.

(591.7) THESSALY, Phalanna. 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (19mm, 5.40 g, 1h). Youthful male head r. / ΦAΛANNAIΩ[N] from l., above and r. down circular, head of nymph r., her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. Rogers 452, fig. 244. Near VF, green patina; faint scratch on the neck of the obverse.

The two pellets seen below the nymph’s ear are not parts of an earring but buttons or other accessories of the sakkos.

(591.8) THESSALY, Phalanna. 3rd century BC. Æ Dichalkon (17.5mm, 5.17 g, 12h). Youthful male head r., behind, monogram / ΦAΛANNAIΩN from l., above and r. down circular, head of nymph r., her hair bound in a sakkos tied behind. This monogram not found in the reference literature consulted. Near VF, green patina, with the occasional touch of tan overtones and with the head on the reverse showing a lighter green colour.


(591.9) THESSALY, Phalanna. Late 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (19mm, 6.52 g, 5h). Youthful male head r., behind, K retrograde; border of dots / ΦAΛANNAIΩN from above r., down circular, head of nymph r., wearing triple drop earring and bead necklace that seems to join the sakkos binding her hair. See Münzen und Medaillen Deutschland 32 (26 May 2010) 53 for the same obverse letter in a similar coin but of more refined style. Near VF, brown patina; a die flaw below and behind the ear on the obverse.

The bead necklace that seems to join the sakkos may not be a necklace at all but just one of the two trailing ends of the beaded tying strings of the sakkos.