Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1284. Estimate CHF1000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF16000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Pharsalos. Late 5th-mid 4th century BC. Drachm (Silver, 5.94 g 3), signed by the engraver Telephantos, with his initials on the obverse and on the reverse, and with those of his ‘pupil’ Ip...on the obverse. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet with raised cheek pieces; in tiny letters behind neck, ΤΗ and ΙΠ. Rev. Φ-Α / Ρ-Σ (last two letters retrograde) Thessalian cavalryman riding horse prancing to right, wearing petasos, chlamys and chiton, and holding a lagobolon over his right shoulder; in exergue, ΤΗ. Lavva 81d (this coin, but not O41/R49 as she says but O42/R48). A splendid coin with beautiful surfaces and lovely style. Die break on reverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.

This is a particularly beautiful and clear coin. The head of Athena is serene, but rather girlish and similar to the head on the first drachm of Pharsalos, which appears in the preceding lot. This head was soon replaced by a more mature and ‘goddess-like’ vision of Athena, as on the following lot.