Sale: Nomos 8, Lot: 148. Estimate CHF350.  Closing Date: Monday, 21 October 2013.  Sold For CHF420. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

AKARNANIA, Medeion. Circa 350-300 BC. Dichalkon (Bronze, 16mm, 4.73 g 5). Laureate head of Apollo to right. Rev. ΜΕ - ΦΙ Tripod ornamented with two fillets. BCD Akarnania 339 and 340.12. Imhoof Blumer, Akarnanien, p. 141, 4 var. Very rare, especially in this condition. With an attractive dark green patina. Struck on a ragged flan, otherwise, about extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.

The bronze coinage of Medeion has long been known, but they are usually found in fairly dreadful condition! The major reason for that must be that they circulated for a considerable period of time. This is because Akarnania was a fairly remote area and probably did not receive further supplies of coinage from neighbouring areas (in the Peloponnesos, for example, Sikyonian bronze circulated almost everywhere); and once struck local coins tended to be used until they became worn flat. This is probably one of the finest bronzes of Medeion known.