Greece/Euboia; Histiaia c. late 4th century BCE

AR Drachm, 15 mm, 3.32 g (c. BCE 350-300)

Obv: Wreathed head of nymph Histiaia right
Rev: IΣTI, Bull standing right before grape vine; monogram to right.

BCD 374 (R)-375 (O); SNG Copenhagen 516; BMC Central Greece page 125, 4; Traite II 119, Grose 5725

Dealer’s notes: Good VF, well centered. Darkly toned (almost black). Scarce

Ex Stack's 15-17 March 1979, lot 119 (sold for $160.00 + 5%). According to the Stack's Public Auction Sale Catalogue, the coin was noted as "Rare, VF" with a reserve of $150. Purchased by BCD from the Stack's Auction.

Ex BCD Collection (not in Lanz sale).

Ex CNG "Coin Shop" listed 19 November 2004 for $295.

Ex ANE

Acquisition: 2007

Greece/Ionia; Smyrna, after BCE 190

AE Homerion 22 mm, 10.91 g, c. BCE 115-105 (Künker date)

Milne 256v, (256 has an A behind the hd on the obs) a similar coin naming the same magistrate sold in the Fritz Rudolf Künker Münzhandlung Auction 133 on 11 October 2007, Lot 7596 per coinarchives.com


Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Letter "B" left in field.
Rev: ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ, The poet Homer seated left, holding staff and scroll, name of magistrates to left ΑΙΣΧΡΙΩΝ/ΔΙΟΓΕΝΟΥ . (Aiskrion Diogenous)


Dealer’s remarks: Good VF, attractive glossy brown patina. Scarce variant. Nicely centered with all letters clear.

Strabo mentions specifically this issue of bronze coinage from Smyrna when, discussing the city, he says "there is also a library; and the 'Homereum', a quadrangular portico containing a shrine and wooden statue of Homer; for the Smyrnaeans also lay especial claim to the poet and indeed a bronze coin of theirs is called a Homereum" (Strabo, Geographica XIV, I.37, transl. by H.C. Jones, The Geography of Strabo, VI [Loeb, 1960], pp. 245-247). (http://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=58802)


Ex: CNG Triton VIII, portion of lot 1880 (10 January 2005)

Ex: ANE

Acquisition: 2007