Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 242. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $1700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BOIOTIA, Plataiai. 387-372 BC. Æ 22mm (6.81 g). Boiotian shield of distinctive shape: in low relief, with narrow double rim / PLA in large concave incuse with curved edge. Head, Boeotia p. 76; BMC 3, pl. IX, 5 = Traité III 332, pl. CCIII, 31; Pozzi (Boutin) 3213 (same rev. die); Weber 3224 (same rev. die). VF, dark brown patina, areas of light surface corrosion on obverse. Extremely rare. ($750)

Ex Virgil M. Brand Collection (Sotheby's London 25 October 1984), lot 303.

This coin, together with lots 307 and 610, is amongst the rarest and most fascinating bronzes in this auction. Head, Boeotia p. 76 dated them to the period 338-315 based on the fact that no Theban coins of this type are known because Alexander the Great destroyed Thebes in 335 BC. He also suggested that these coins resemble the BO-IW staters, which they do, but only with their reverses, which have the same concavity. The obverse shield design of this coin resembles that of the delicate style staters of Thespiai (see lot 606 below) with the addition of a double rim. This writer believes that the BO-IW staters were struck circa 395-387 BC and that the Thespiai staters followed immediately after (Head, Boeotia p. 56). One could therefore argue that these bronzes were struck at that time (just after 387 BC), when each Boiotian city (except Thebes who had good reasons to abstain) celebrated its autonomy as proclaimed by the Peace of Antalkidas.

For an altogether different view on the date of these coins see the note after lot 629q.