Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 75. Estimate CHF2250.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF2400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ARKADIA, Alea. Circa 390-370 BC. Obol (Silver, 0.91 g 7). Head of Artemis to right, wearing triple pendant earring and with her hair in a bun at the back Rev. ΑΛ Bow. BCD Peloponnesos 1346. BMC 1. SNG Copenhagen 213. Weber 4267. Very rare. Toned and most attractive. Some slight roughness, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From a European collection, acquired in 2009.

The coinage of Alea is remarkably rare. The BCD piece in 2006 was only the second piece to appear on public sale since World War II; a few more, including this one, have appeared since. Almost nothing is known about the city, save that it produced a few coins in the early 4th century, even fewer in the late 4th, and, finally, some equally rare Achaean League tetrachalkoi in the 160s.