Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 298. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $130. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BOIOTIA, Tanagra. Early-mid 4th century BC. Lot of two AR Obols. Both coins: Boiotian shield / Forepart of horse right; T-A flanking head; all within incuse concave circle with curved edge. Varieties: (a) 0.73g. Below horse, tiny ivy leaf sideways, with long stem curving upward to left. Head, Boeotia p. 53; BMC 44. Rare // (b) 0.79 g. Below horse, N (retrograde) over remnants of previous symbol. SNG Cop. 225. Both coins VF. Two (2) coins in lot. ($200)

(b) Ex Lanz Munich 24 (25 April 1983), lot 245.

(b) is an interesting case where the grapes symbol was "cancelled" and substituted with a retrograde N, the third letter of the ethnic. This obvious and easy way to erase the "identity" of a coin may have had something to do either with the "grapes" sponsor not supplying any more bullion or with the "grapes" mintmaster completing his appointed term and withdrawing from the job.