ID: |
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803354 |
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[UNVERIFIED]
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Type: |
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Greek |
Region: |
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AETOLIA |
City:
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Aetolian League |
Date Ruled: |
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Circa 250-245 BC
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Metal: |
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Gold |
Denomination: |
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Stater |
Struck / Cast: |
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struck |
Date Struck: |
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BC Circa 250-245 |
Diameter: |
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19 mm |
Weight: |
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8.51 g |
Die Axis: |
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12 h |
Obverse Description: |
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Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with a serpent |
Reverse Legend: |
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AITΩΛΩN |
Reverse Description: |
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Aitolos, wearing kausia and sheathed sword, seated right on pile of Gallic shields, holding spear upright in right hand, left hand holding small Nike standing right, holding wreath; monogram to right, ANA in exergue |
Primary Reference: |
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Tsangari 573a = BCD Akarnania 426 (this coin) |
Reference2: |
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Gulbenkian 915 |
Reference3: |
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J. Reinach, “Un monument delphien: LÉtolie sur les trophÉes gaulois de Kallion” in: JIAN XIII (1911), P.197, 29 (same obv. die) |
Photograph Credit: |
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Classical Numismatic Group |
Source: |
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http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=117790 |
Grade:
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Good VF, toned |
Notes: |
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An exceptional example of this extremely rare Aitolian gold issue. Ex BCD Collection; Hess-Leu 45 (12 May 1970), lot 167; Hess-Leu 31 (6 December 1966), lot 295; Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge (28 May 1900), lot 270.While the Macedonian Kingdom flourished, it was by no means master of the whole of Greece. In Aitolia a group of tribes developed into a powerful league that triumphantly defended the land from the Gallic invasions, which at one point had reached Delphi. The repulsion of the Gallic invaders in 279/8 BC was commemorated by a monument erected in the temple of Apollo at Delphi which represented the personification of Aitolia. The coins accurately display this monument (see Reinach, supra). A redoubtable female warrior, Aitolos is depicted holding a sheathed sword and seated in a defiant posture upon a heap of shields left behind by the enemy. Some of the shields look Macedonian, others Gallic. On the silver coins, a Gallic karnyx lies at her feet. A further assertive gesture, seen on lot 29 and 31, is the use of the heads of Athena and Herakles which were borrowed from the gold and silver coinage of Alexander. |
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