Sale: CNG 73, Lot: 325. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 13 September 2006.  Sold For $1500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 470-450 BC. AR Obol (0.97 g, 5h). Bearded male head right, wearing tainia / Barley grain; M-A flanking; all in dotted square within incuse square. Apparently unpublished. Good VF, toned, porous. Possibly unique.

This interesting early coin of Magnesia has obverse and reverse types similar to issues of Themistokles (cf. Nollé & Wenninger Th3a and Th5c, respectively), but lacks any form of his name. A similar reverse type is also found on issues of circa 400 BC (cf. SNG Kayhan 393-394), but the overall style and fabric of our coin suggests that it was struck earlier, either shortly before or after the time of Themistokles.