20070930

Greece/Sikyonia, Sikyon, Circa 330/20-280 BCE

AR Triobol (14 mm, 2.77 gm.).

Warren, Silver 21-3; BCD Peloponnesos 292 v reverse, BCD Peloponnesos 293.1 v. obverse; SNG Copenhagen 64-5. VF, struck on short and thick flan.

Obv: retrograde ΣΙ, Chimaera standing left.

Rev: Dove flying left; Dove flying left; pellet above tail.

Ex: ANE/Svetolik Kovačević (Canada)

Ex. BCD collection.

Ex: "Near Itea hoard" as per coin ticket. According to Andrew Meadows at the ANS (who I thank for the information), the Itea hoard is listed in Coin Hoards VIII as hoard #254. It was found in several lots around 1983 and consisted of 1,500+ coins, of which 640 reside in the Numismatic Museum in Athens, Greece and the remaining 900 are in commerce.

The hoard has a date of deposit approximately of between BCE 290-270.

Here is the information as it appears (somewhat redacted) in CH VIII, courtesy of Sveto K.:

From COIN HOARDS VIII; 254 (published 1994)

254 Near Itea, Greece, 1983?
Burial: c. 290-270 BC
Contents: 1500+ AR
Recorded in several lots:
A: 321 AR + 321 AR
B: 900+ AR

Disposition: A: In Athens Museum, Protonotarios donation (as noted in BCH 114-JG)
B: in trade.

Sources: BCH 114 (1990), p. 704; AΔ 37 (1982), 1989, p. 1; AΔ 38 (1983), 1989, p. 1

Lot A to be fully published by M. Oeconomidou; lot B to be published by U. Wartenberg.

From source BCH 114 (1990) p. 704, Chronique des Fouilles en 1989; Athènes, musées et collections:

Musée numismatique:

Les collections du musée se sont, comme chaque année, enrichies de monnaies provenant de fouilles…et des donations (trésor d’hémidrachmes en argent du IV e s.av. J-C, trouvé en mer dans une amphore, près des côtes de Locride ou d’Eubée, et offert par P. Protonotariou).

[Translation from French by JG-"Chronicle of the Excavations in 1989; Athens, museums and collections: Numismatic museum:

As each year goes by, the collections of the museum grow richer from the coins originating from excavations…and donations (a find of silver hemidrachms from the 4th century BCE found at sea in an amphora near the coast of Locris or Euboia and offered by P. Protonotariou)."]