Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 173. Estimate CHF2500.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF5000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Perinthos, Thrace. Caracalla. 198-217. Oktassarion (Bronze, 41mm, 46.19 g 7), c. 212-217. ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΥΡ CΕΟΥΗΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑΥΓ Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla to right. Rev. ΠΕΡΙΝΘΙΩΝ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ Herakles, nude but for lion skin over his left arm, standing facing, his head to right, holding his club, its head resting on the ground, with his right hand, and gazing at the serpent entwined apple tree of the Hesperides, which stands to his right. BMC -. Schönert-Geiss -. Varbanov 3931 (this coin). An impressive coin with a brown patina. Some slight roughness, otherwise, good very fine.

From the M Collection and that of G. Drewry, ex Triton VIII, 11 January 2005, 747 and ex Triton III, 30 November 1999, 742.

This coin shows Herakles in a pensive mood: he is viewing the Apple Tree of the Hesperides, and its guardian the serpent Ladon, prior to his stratagem that enabled him to get the apples. In the following lot Herakles gives some of those apples to Caracalla.