Triton XV, Lot: 713. Estimate $300. Sold for $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Pherai. Early 3rd century BC. AR Drachm (19mm, 4.78 g, 6h). Head of the nymph Hypereia r., wearing triple-pendant earring and wreath of grain leaves; behind, fountain spout in the form of a lion’s head r., water gushing from its mouth; all in a dotted circle / ΦEPAIOY[N] below, Ennodia, draped and with a torch in each hand, seated facing, her head r., on horse galloping r., in field l., within wreath, AΣ-TOM-EΔ. Unpublished, unknown and unique (?); see the Photiades Pasha didrachm (now in Berlin) for the same hand that engraved the obverse die of this drachm. Fine, toned; shiny surfaces; a denomination of great numismatic importance.

Together with the other unique drachm from Kierion (lot 102 above) this coin goes one more step towards proving that these extremely rare coins were planned and executed as a range of denominations and not as a one-off stater issue. The obvious question that comes to mind now is whether the Kierion range with the Asklepios reverse is contemporary to the Astomedon issue of Pherai. If so, the Kierion coins must be updated to the time of Demetrios Poliorketes.