Thessalian League. Lot of 4 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 860. Estimate $200. Sold for $600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 4 coins.

(860.1) THESSALY, Thessalian League. Late 2nd – mid 1st century BC. AR Stater (21mm, 5.85 g, 11h). Her..., Pausanias, and Diodoros, magistrates. Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath; EP to left / ΘEΣΣA/ΛΩN, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm; [ΠAY]Σ-ANIAΣ above spear, ΔI-OΔ/Ω-P/O-Σ across central field. McClean 4941. VF, lightly toned, from worn dies.


(860.2) THESSALY, Thessalian League. Late 2nd – mid 1st century BC. AR Stater (22mm, 6.05 g, 12h). Her..., Pausanias, and Diodoros, magistrates. Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath; EP to left / ΘEΣΣA/ΛΩN, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm; [Π]AYΣA-NIAΣ above spear, ΔI-O/Δ-Ω/P-OΣ across central field. McClean 4938. VF, toned; small scrapes across lower hair strand on obverse and across Athena’s chest on reverse.


(860.3) THESSALY, Thessalian League. Late 2nd – mid 1st century BC. AR Stater (21mm, 6.02 g, 12h). Her..., Pausanias, and Diodoros, magistrates. Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath; EP to left / ΘEΣΣA/ΛΩN, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm; ΠAYΣA-NI[AΣ] above spear, ΔI-O/Δ-Ω/P-OΣ across central field. McClean 4938. Near VF, toned; reverse is off-center; struck from a worn obverse die.


(860.4) THESSALY, Thessalian League. Late 2nd – mid 1st century BC. AR Stater (22mm, 5.83 g, 12h). Hippaitas and Pausanias, magistrates. Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath; IΠΠAITAΣ to left / ΘEΣΣA/ΛΩN, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm; [ΠA]YΣ-ANIA[Σ] above spear, N-I across central field. McClean 4944, pl. 179, 15 (same obv. die). VF, toned, small flan split at 3; reverse roughness. Extremely rare.

Ex G. Hirsch 177 (10 February 1993), lot 224, hammer DM 400.

The magistrate IΠΠAITAΣ on the bronze issue Athena / horse (see lot 840 above) is probably the commonest Thessalian coin; it must have been struck in great quantities. Interestingly enough, this silver didrachm of the same magistrate is extremely rare. We can assume that IΠΠAITAΣ directed all his activity into bronze coin production, perhaps because at the time of his tenure silver had become scarce (or there was no need for new silver coins).