Sale: CNG 69, Lot: 60. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005.  Sold For $1750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BRUTTIUM, Kroton. Circa 480 BC. AR Nomos (7.91 gm, 3h). Tripod with volutes; dolphin to left / Incuse eagle flying left, wing and tail feathers clearly defined. Attianese -; SNG ANS -; HN Italy -. Good VF, slight roughness. Unpublished in the standard references. ($2000)

This coin is a significant new type in the Kroton series. It would appear to be a further transitional issue between the "medium" and "dumpy" incuse issues, which are in turn transitional to the double-relief types beginning about 430 BC. This symbol, the dolphin, appears as a subsidiary symbol on both medium and dumpy types, HN 2089 and HN 2100, both as the reverse symbol associated with the incuse tripod type. The incuse flying eagle, not previously associated with the dolphin symbol, has the clearly defined wing feathers of the earliest eagle type (HN 2084), not the pebbled details of the later "dumpy" issues. The evidence suggests there are two series of dolphin types, the first with "medium" flan and crab-octopus-dolphin symbols, and a second "medium-dumpy" with crab/tripod or tripod/eagle attributes. That the second pair forms a distinct sub-group is further implied by another small detail. Across the entire range of incuse types at Kroton, the reverse design is framed by an incuse border of radiate lines, or rouletting. On the present coin, as well as the double tripod issues with dolphin, that border is plain on all published specimens (cf. Dewing 598; Fitzwilliam 748, Weber 999-1000). Jameson 418 does appear to have a radiate border, but close examination of the plate illustration reveals that this border was hand-engraved at a later date. The dolphin symbol nomoi are possibly the product of a subsidiary workshop at Kroton.