Ex Gillet Collection

5658682.

BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 530-500 BC. AR Nomos (30.5mm, 7.61 g, 12h). Spread incuse type. Tripod, legs surmounted by wreaths and terminating in lion's feet, two serpents rising from the bowl, set on basis of three lines, the center dotted; (koppa)PO-TON at sides / Incuse tripod as obverse. Cf. Attianese 15; cf. Gorini 5; HN Italy 2075; SNG ANS 235 (same dies); SNG Lewis 246; de Luynes 701; Gillet 285 (this coin). Attractive old cabinet tone, minor edge splits, short flank crack. Near EF.

Ex “Collection of a Well Known Collector” (Leu 76, 27 October 1999), lot 18; Charles Gillet (†1972) Collection, 285.

The Delphic tripod depicted on both the obverse (in relief) and reverse (incuse) derive from the city’s foundational legend. According to this, one Myskellos, obeying a directive of the oracle of Delphi, led a group of Achaian settlers to the site and founded the city around 710 BC. This divine sanction is represented by the tripod of the oracle, which became the civic badge of Kroton and is featured on its coinage. Kroton was among the first cities to produce coinage in Italy, its earliest being of the incuse type struck on the Achaian standard.