Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1214. Estimate CHF275.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF3800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 360s-340s BC. Chalkous (Bronze, 15mm, 2.08 g 9), Herakleia Trachinia. Lion’s head to left, with spear in its jaws. Rev. ΟΙΤ / ΑΩΝ Curved knife and hunting spear to right. BMC 5 = Rogers 414 = Traité IV, 442, pl. CCLXXXII, 6. SNG Copenhagen 178. Valassiadis 11. Attractive olive-green patina. Extremely fine.

Acquired from Münzen und Medaillen in January 1984 for CHF 850 and from an old English collection.

A note from BCD: A very clear and detailed depiction of a strangely fashioned knife, probably a hunting knife but with cutting edges on both sides. It may have combined several different functions like slicing flesh, chopping bones and even removing the skin of animals.