Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1199. Estimate CHF800.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF4600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Melitaia. First half of the 4th century BC. Chalkous (Bronze, 16mm, 2.14 g 7). Laureate head of Zeus to left; behind, thunderbolt. Rev. Μ - E /Λ - Ι Bee with spread wings. Rogers 398. Traité 473, pl. CCLXXXVIII, 10 (thunderbolt on obverse unnoted but visible on the plate). A superb coin with a splendid, glossy, deep green patina. Good extremely fine.

This is unquestionably one of the nicest bronze coins to have survived from any Thessalian mint! The coins in this sale have all been selected for quality but this coin is exceptional: in style and quality it is truly magnificent. The head of Zeus is a noble one, reminding the viewer of issues from Syracuse and Olympia, and the bee is one of the best represented insects on a Greek coin.
A note from BCD: For the bronze coin specialist this is a gem of a coin, certainly comparable to its silver predecessor and with the added charm of a lovely patina.