Vlasto Plate Coin

Sale: Triton X, Lot: 27. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Monday, 8 January 2007.  Sold For $1600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CALABRIA, Tarentum. Time of Alexander the Molossian. Circa 333-331/0 BC. AV Hemilitra (0.43 g, 7h). Apol-, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right / TAPAN, thunderbolt; APOL below. Fischer-Bossert G3b (V3/R3) = Vlasto 14 (this coin); HN Italy 906; SNG Lloyd 188; SNG ANS 977; SNG France 1775-6; SNG Copenhagen 833; Jameson 145; McClean 596 (all from the same dies). Good VF, underlying luster, slight die wear on reverse. Very rare.

From the David Herman Collection. Ex Triton V (15 January 2002), lot 1050; Classical Numismatic Group 40 (with Numismatica Ars Classica, 4 December 1996), lot 591; A. Moretti Collection (forthcoming), 9; M. P. Vlasto Collection, 14.

This issue mimics the types employed by Alexander of Epiros on his gold fractions (see next lot), and confirms the chronological placement of this issue during his expedition to aid the Tarentines against the Samnites, Brettii, and Lucani.