Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 258. Estimate $7500.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

BOIOTIA, Tanagra. 457-448 BC. AR Stater (12.33 g). Boiotian shield / Forepart of horse right, holding stalks of grain or grass in its mouth; T-A across upper field; all within incuse square. Head, Boeotia p. 27, pl. II, 5 = BMC 23, pl. X, 1; Traité III 335, pl. CCIII, 34 (same dies); Winterthur 1895 (same dies); Weber 3229 (this coin). Near EF, lovely old uniform grey-brown tone. A lot of eye appeal. Rare. ($7500)

Ex Hess-Leu 45 (12 May 1970), lot 178; Sir Hermann Weber Collection, 3229.

A. Schachter ("Horse coins from Tanagra," NumChron 1958, pp. 43-46) suggests that G. Radke (Real-Encyclopaedie xxi, 1208) is correct when he links these horse coins with the two mythological heroes of Tanagra, Leukippos (White Horse) and Ephippos (Horse Rider). The stalks of grain or grass held in the horse's mouth - clear on this coin - probably refer to a detail of their local cult.