Pharsalos. Lot of 8 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 674. Estimate $200. Sold for $800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 8 coins.

(674.1) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 4th-3rd centuries BC. Æ Trichalkon (20mm, 9.96 g, 1h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, slightly turned to r., her neckline an open V; to l. and r., A and retrograde K; border of dots / ΦA l. upwards, P horizontal in field r., ΣA below r. retrograde, armoured Thessalian horseman in short chiton and wearing Boiotian helmet above which crescent with its horns upwards, brandishing bifurcate flail and riding r. on prancing horse decorated with a beaded necklace. Lavva -, but obv. die is V149, rev. die not in Lavva. Near VF, dark green patina with many red areas; the beginnings of a die flaw below the reversed K on the obverse and another, smaller flaw, under the V-shaped neckline.


(674.2) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (19.5mm, 6.05 g, 9h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, slightly turned to r., her neckline an open V; border of dots / ΦAP[Σ] below, armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail on his shoulder. Lavva -, but very close (same hand) to her 347. Near VF, dark green patina with some red hues; the rev. struck softly. Same obverse die as the next coin, 674.3.

The artwork of this and the next six pieces is clearly of a lower quality than the previous trichalka. This is one of the reasons they are dated to the 3rd century, although it may be that some of them were even later. Whatever the case may be, they obviously are not 5th century issues as Lavva considers all Pharsalos bronzes to be.

(674.3) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (20.5mm, 4.91 g, 12h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, slightly turned to r., her neckline an open V; border of dots / ΦA below, P sideways in field r., armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail on his shoulder. Rogers 508, fig. 274 (same rev. die); Lavva 347 (this coin, illustrated). Good Fine, brown patina, surfaces a little porous. The obverse die of this coin is from the same hand as that of lot 674.2 above.

Lavva lists the weight and die axis of this coin as 6.91 and 9 o’clock instead of the correct 4.91 and 12 o’clock. Also, this coin is not ex Spink auction 46; there were no Pharsalos bronzes in that sale, not even in the multiple lots.

(674.4) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (22.5mm, 8.07 g, 10h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, turned slightly to l., her shield above her l. shoulder; border of dots / Φ above l., APΣ-A below, armoured and helmeted Thessalian horseman riding r. on prancing horse decorated with bead necklace and brandishing his bifurcate flail at enemy who falls backwards; behind the horseman, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail on his shoulder. Lavva -, but obv. die is V168, rev. die not in Lavva. Good Fine, yellow-green patina with some touches of red; scattered pitting, mostly on the obv. that is also a little off centre.

A late coin of less fine style but nevertheless an interesting pair of dies and one of the more accomplished and conscientious efforts to imitate the early 4th century artwork of the series.

(674.5) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (22mm, 6.13 g, 9h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, turned slightly to l., a shield on her l. and a spear with a Π on her r., border of dots / ΦAP l. up, Σ in field r., ΛIΩ below, armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail on his shoulder. Lavva 316 a (this coin, illustrated) corr. [see note below]. Good Fine, green patina; the obv. struck a little softly.

Lavva’s text on p. 227 indicates that the illustrated coin is the Egger and Rhousopoulos specimen whereas the plate shows clearly that the photograph is of this coin (the Egger-Rhousopoulos piece being of much smaller flan). Also, the weight in Lavva is incorrect at 6.16, it should be 6.13, as indicated above.

(674.6) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (20mm, 7.39 g, 11h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, turned slightly to l., a shield to her l. and a spear with a monogram to her r., border of dots. / ΦAP l. up, A (?) in field r., AΛ below, armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail on his shoulder. Lavva –, but obv. die is V170, rev. die not in Lavva. Near VF, olive green patina; struck on a small flan for the size of the reverse die.


(674.7) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (21mm, 7.12 g, 4h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, turned slightly to l., a shield to her l. and a spear to her r., border of dots / AΦ above l., P above horse’s tail, ΣAΛIΩ below circular, N below horse’s mouth, armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail. Lavva -, but obv. die is V176, rev. die not in Lavva. Good Fine, green patina; obv. slightly off centre and a die flaw to the r. of the shield on the dotted border.


(674.8) THESSALY, Pharsalos. 3rd century BC. Æ Trichalkon (21.5mm, 7.35 g, 1h). Helmeted head of Athena facing, turned slightly to l., border of dots / ΦAP below, armoured Thessalian horseman brandishing bifurcate flail, riding r. on prancing horse; behind him, his attendant walking r. carrying a spare flail. Dies not in Lavva, the obv. style is later and coarser than her group B.IV.8. Good Fine, green patina; rev. slightly off centre.