Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 1336. Estimate CHF900.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF24000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Skotussa. Circa 394-367 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 2.95 g 12). Head of bearded Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. Σ - ΚΟ Forepart of bridled horse to right, his head slightly lowered; all within shallow circular incuse. BMC 2. Jameson 1108 = Traité IV, 627, pl. CCXCV, 7 (this coin). SNG Lockett 1616 (same dies). A lovely example, nicely toned. Slightly porous surfaces. Extremely fine.

Ex Leu 36, 7 May 1985, 120 (CHF 12,000), and from the collections of W. Niggeler, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 3 December 1965, 264 and R. Jameson.

This coin is particularly well designed: the head of Herakles is very civilized in feeling, with his short, well trimmed beard and elegant appearance. It must, however, have been a very small issue since, while no die study has been made of them, the known examples all seem to have been struck from the same obverse die, coupled with up to three reverse dies.