Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 27. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $5250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

LUCANIA, Metapontion. Time of Kleonymos. Circa 302 BC. AV Tetrobol (2.61 gm). Achaean standard. Head of Nike facing slightly right, wearing necklace and earrings; NIKA to right / METAPON, six-grained barley ear with curly leaf to right. Johnston G3 (same dies); SNG ANS 396; SNG Lloyd -; SNG Copenhagen -; Jameson -; Gulbenkian 71; Pozzi -; Weber -; Kraay-Hirmer 245 (same obverse die); HN Italy 1629. Choice VF, slight double-striking in ethnic. Very rare. [See color enlargement on plate 1] ($5000)

From the James A. Ferrendelli Collection. Ex Marian A. Sinton Collection (Triton III, 30 November-1 December 1999), lot 69.

The lovely facing female head on this rare coin was traditionally described as either Demeter or Persephone, the typical female deities on Metapontion's coinage, until a hoard discovered in the 1960's revealed this variety with the declarative inscription NIKA. This unusual feature as well as the overall treatment and choice of the design has led to the suggestion that it may be part of a special donative issue for Kleonymos, who exacted a heavy indemnity from the people of Metapontion for foregoing the opportunity to sack the city.