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CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 450-380 BC. AR Obol (9mm, 0.52 g, 1h). Head of Satyra right / Dovecote; four pellets around. Vlasto 1201 corr. (number of pellets; same obv. die); HN Italy 861 corr. (same). Rough find patina, some cleaning scratches, edge chip. Near VF. Extremely rare, only one example in CoinArchives (Nomos Obolos 35, lot 964).
Vlasto’s collection included two examples of this type with Satyra on the obverse (Vlasto 1201 and 1202). He noted that each had five pellets on the reverse, indicating that these were pentonkia. However, the illustrations of both coins show that this is erroneous; the first coin has four pellets, while the second does not show any pellets at all. Another variety, with a male head left, though, does show five pellets (Vlasto 1203). Interestingly, the Nomos coin noted above shows only two (though the lower two could be off the flan or not struck up). In any case, it appears that the quantity of pellets varies on this issue, as they do on the obols featuring a kantharos, and thus are not indicative of the denomination.
Closing Date and Time: 16 July 2025 at 10:02:00 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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