Oitaioi. Lot of 6 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 493. Estimate $200. Sold for $1000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 6 coins.

(493.1) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (18mm, 3.87 g, 6h). Laureate head of Apollo r. / OITAI above, [ΩΝ] below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. Rogers 418, fig. 223. Good Fine, green patina; small area of flat striking on reverse.

This and the next three coins are supposed to show Apollo on the obverse, as the Oitaioi believed that their city, Herakleia, was founded by Amphissos, son of Apollo. The last two coins in this group have a different profile, resembling Herakles, a more likely candidate for Oitaian coins. It could actually be claimed that all portraits are of Herakles, showing him in various stages of his life, as the engraving quality of these coins is very variable, to say the least. For portraits in the style of the last two coins, Rogers (note on p. 138) even suggests Dionysos. This writer follows the traditional attributions that may or may not be correct.

(493.2) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (16mm, 3.21 g, 11h). Laureate head of Apollo r. / OITAI above, ΩN below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. BMC p. 37, 11, pl. VII, 14; Rogers 418, fig. 223. Good Fine, green patina with some surface flaws, mostly on the rev. that is also softly struck in the centre. From the collections of the Very Reverend Edgar Rogers and Lord Grantley.

Acquired from Baldwin’s, October 1966, for 25 shillings and ex Rogers collection with his ticket that says this coin is ex Lord Grantley, acquired in June 1944.

Lord Grantley died in 1943 and parts of his extensive collection were auctioned soon after by Glendining’s in a series of sales that were mostly unillustrated.

(493.3) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (18mm, 5.16 g, 12h). Laureate head of Apollo r. / OITAI above, ΩN below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. BMC p. 37, 11, pl. VII, 14; Rogers 418, fig. 223. Near VF, light brown mottled natural patina, an attractive specimen.


(493.4) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (17mm, 4.05 g, 11h). Laureate head of Apollo r. / OITAI above, [ΩN] below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. Rogers 418, fig. 223. Good Fine, brown patina; some edge flatness at 6 o’clock obverse and 8 o’clock reverse.


(493.5) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (17mm, 5.20 g, 12h). Wreathed head of Herakles r. / OITAI above, [ΩN] below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. Rogers 420, fig. 225. Good Fine, green patina; rev. a little softly struck.


(493.6) THESSALY, Oitaioi. Circa 279-168 BC. Æ Dichalkon (16mm, 3.33 g, 7h). Wreathed head of Herakles r. / OITAI above, [ΩN] below, jawbone of boar r., above it, spearhead r., between them, monogram, to l., grapes. Rogers 420, fig. 225. Near VF, attractive two-tone medium and dark green patina.