Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 347. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $1400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BOIOTIA, Thebes. Circa 480-460 BC. AR Stater (12.34 g). Boiotian shield / Square incuse with anticlockwise mill-sail pattern, the portions in relief with solid outlines and partially filled centres; archaic Q in centre. Myron Hoard pl. A, 20. Good VF, even dark grey tone. Extremely rare. ($1000)

Ex Dr. Feori Pipito Collection (Superior 12 December 1987), lot 348; Naville-Ars Classica XVI (3 July 1933), lot 1152.

It seems that towards the end of the "Theta in mill-sail incuse" period, the mint of Thebes started experimenting with new ideas for the reverse pattern of staters. For more adventurous patterning but still on the same basic theme, see BMC p. 67, 3, pl. XI, 3 and Traité pl. CXCIX, 2. These new ideas were obviously very short-lived as the coins made from such reverses are either extremely rare or unique. The big step forward for the mint occurred when the reverse changed into an "Amphora in incuse" type which must have taken place soon after as, initially, the old style shield was used for these totally new reverses (see lot 373 below).