Unique Contorniate Depicting Herodotus

Triton XX, Lot: 906. Estimate $3000. Sold for $8500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Contorniates. Late 4th century AD. Æ Contorniate (37mm, 23.32 g, 12h). ΗΡΟΔ ΟΤΟC, bareheaded, bearded, and draped bust of Herodotus right; incuse PLE monogam to right / T VRREN IVS, charioteer standing right, holding palm frond, leading a horse walking right by its reins. Alföldi, Kontorniat –; but cf. Alföldi 105 for the reverse type (pl. 33, 9 – same reverse die). VF, attractive olive green and brown patina, a few rim bumps and marks. Unique, the only known specimen depicting the Greek historian Herodotus.

Ex ArtCoins Roma 8 (4 February 2014), lot 727.

A fascinating contorniate depicting the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. The bust of Herodotus is almost identical to that used for the Greek philosopher Socrates (see Alföldi 84 [pl. 27, 10]). The reverse type is from a die used for the Roman playwright Terence (Publius Terentius Afer). This contorniate is one of just a few known depictions of Herodotus on an ancient coin or medal.