Description
Italy. Calabria. Tarentum. Didrachm ca. 280-272 BC. Silver 6.63 g.; 19.5 mm.
Obverse: Youth (Dioscurus ?) on horseback, prancing right, crowning horse. Monogram AP behind //
Reverse: Taras (?) astride dolphin to left, holding Nike who crowns him in right hand and shield and two spears in left, waves below. Reverse caption: TA - PAΣ
HGC: 1-886.
Striking coin covered with a splendid and bewitching patina with iridescent tones. An extremely interesting coin with an almost unknown combination of obverse and reverse types.
NGC graded Ch AU Strike: 4/5 Surface: 5/5 Fine Style
Provenance Details
Ex Roma Numismatics, 22 September 2022, Auction XXV, Lot 53;
Ex Heritage World Coin Auctions, ANA Signature Sale 3094, 19 August 2021, lot 34011;
Ex Stack's Bowers & Ponterio, Sale 173 Session A (8 January 2013), lot 32.
Demarete Collection; Clain-Stefanelli Collection.
Comment
It was struck during the magistracy of Philistion, whose first two letters appear on either side of the triskeles. A lovely coin with a gray patina, minted shortly before the city came under Roman influence and became a “foederata civitas” (city allied to Rome). Beautiful iconography!
Payment
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