LOT 2920

Boeotia, Thebes AR Quarter Stater or Hemidrachm. Circa 458-456 BC.

Struck after the battle of Oenophyta 457 BC. Aeginetic Standard. Volute krater decorated with parallel circle lines, Ǝ-Θ flanking / Quadripartite incuse square. Unpublished in the most references; for a similar specimen see Traité III, p.220, 205 / pl.CXCIX, 1 (diobol). Very Fine. Toned. The only known issue of this short period of Theban coinage and possibly unique.(3.09gr, 14mm). [No Reserve]

Property of a North London, UK, gentleman.

This very special coin struck during the short period after the end of the Persian Wars (478 BC) and up to the Battle of Oenophyta (457 BC), when after the conflict between the Thebans and the Athenians, the latter managed to regain control of Boeotia and Phocis. This was the period of transition of Theban coinage from the early period, when the multiple variations of the incuse on the reverse were replaced by the krater depiction, characteristic for all the denominations. Abandoned is the local use of the initial Theta ⴲ in its classical form ϴ. The only known similar example of Traité depicts a krater with the leaf of an ivy, a symbol of Dionysian worship, hanging from its left handle. Its incuse in the form of a swastika reminds those of the archaic coinage of Corinth and probably dates earlier than our example.