THRACE, Ainos. Circa 412/1-410/09 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 16.49 g, 1h). Near EF.

Triton XXVII
Lot: 120. Estimated: $ 10 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 9 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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THRACE, Ainos. Circa 412/1-410/09 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23.5mm, 16.49 g, 1h). Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos with pelleted rim / Goat standing right; AIN-I above, kerykeion to right; all within incuse square. May, Ainos, Period II, 259 (A159/P170); AMNG II 288; HGC 3, 1269; Boston MFA 779 = Warren 465; Jameson 1048. Iridescent tone, a few scratches and some porosity on obverse. Near EF.

Ex Sheikh Saud Al-Thani Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica 126, 17 November 2021), lot 89; Nomos 3 (10 May 2011), lot 38; Nomos 1 (6 May 2009), lot 33.

The legendary founder of Ainos was said to be Ainios, a son of the god Apollo; the Roman poet Virgil apparently confused this name with that of the Trojan hero Aeneas and credits the city’s foundation to him. The main deity of the city was Hermes Perpheraios (”the wanderer”), and it is he who is depicted on the city’s early coinage. Here the messenger of the gods wears a tight-fitting conical hat called a petasos, and bears a particularly fierce expression. The goat on the reverse symbolizes the god’s status as a patron of herdsmen. Ainos initially used the Persic weight standard, by which this issue would be a triple sigloi.

The final winners of all Triton XXVII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 9-10 January 2024.

Triton XXVII – Session One – Lot 1-337 will be held Tuesday morning, 9 January 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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