THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 400-370 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 6.02 g, 9h). Obverse die signed by Simo–. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 133
Lot: 181. Estimated: $ 500

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 1 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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THESSALY, Larissa. Circa 400-370 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 6.02 g, 9h). Obverse die signed by Simo–. Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly right; ΣIMO above / Horse grazing right. L-S Group 3, Head Type 9, dies O23/R4, d (this coin); BCD Thessaly II 196 (same obv. die); HGC 4, 430; SNG Ashmolean 3877 = Weber 2857 (same dies). Lightly toned. VF.

From the Santa Monica Collection, #111. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 61 (25 September 2002), lot 561.

The name Larissa likely derives from a pre-Greek word for “citadel” or “fortress.” One of the largest cities in Thessaly, Larissa produced a large and varied coinage beginning in the early-fifth century BC. Starting about 404 BC, inspired by Kimon’s Syracusan facing-head portrait of the spring nymph Arethousa, Larissa introduced a new design also featuring a facing female head, probably intended to represent a local spring nymph bearing the city’s name. The nymph heads feature on nearly all Larissan coinage, including bronzes, tiny fractions, silver drachms (by far the most numerous coins struck and surviving), and staters of two drachms. The larger staters, in particular, are closely modeled on Kimon’s Arethousa, lacking only the dolphins surrounding the portrait on the original. Perhaps also inspired by the Syracusan masters, a few Larissan engravers seemed to have signed their dies, as evidenced by this obverse die with the partial name ΣIΜO inscribed above Larissa’s head.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 133 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 15-16 September 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 133 – Session One – Lot 1-308 will be held Tuesday morning, 15 September 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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