EC Plate Coin – Pedigreed to 1980
ETRURIA, Populonia. 3rd century BC. AR 20 Asses (21mm, 8.48 g). Diademed facing head of Metus; X : X (mark of value) below / Blank. EC Group XII, Series 58.81 (O32 –
this coin, illustrated); HN Italy 152. Old cabinet tone, trace deposits, a little off center. VF.
Ex Malter XIV (8 June 1980), lot 32.
Like the Romans, the Etruscans of northern and central Italy were latecomers to the Greek concept of coinage. The origins of the Etruscans are still regarded as enigmatic, and their language survives only in the form of relatively short inscriptions. When they did begin striking coins in the mid 4th century BC, many of the distinct and whimsical qualities of their culture came through. Only five Etruscan cities struck coins in any quantities, with Fufluna, called Populonia by the Romans, by far the most prolific. Their quirky designs do not owe much to Classical Greek numismatic art. Here we see Metus, the Etruscan version of the Gorgon Medusa, depicted frontally in a manner that nearly fills the entire obverse. The Etruscans typically used marks of value employing numerals in their own alphabet, later familiar as “Roman” numerals: the numerals X : X here value this piece at 20 units, traditionally thought to be the Italic “as” also employed by the Romans. Another feature of Etruscan coinage is that it tends to be one-sided – that is, having an obverse design and an essentially blank reverse.
