311, Lot: 235. Estimate $150. Sold for $100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Perrhaiboi. Circa 460-440 BC. AR Hemidrachm (16mm, 2.87 g, 3h). The hero Thessalos, nude but for petasos and chlamys, seen in background, holding band around the head of a bull charging right / ΠE–Я–A, forepart of bridled horse left. BCD Thessaly II 540; otherwise unpublished in the standard references. Near VF, lightly toned, rough in areas. Extremely rare variety, possibly only the second known.

From the BCD Collection.

A note from BCD from the Triton sale: Another example of improvisation on the taurokathapsia issues of Perrhaiboi. The bull, normally appearing on the hemidrachms by its forepart only, is here shown in its entirety and in the foreground rather than behind the bull wrestler. The fabric and style of this coin suggest a very early issue, if not the earliest, and this may be the reason for its departure from the later established norm.