Lot 20
Bruttium. Caulonia. 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (8.58g, 12h). Johnston-Noe A9; SNG ANS 145 (this obverse die). Very rare. Old cabinet tone. Perfectly centered and struck on a full flan. A coin of great elegance and charm. Possibly the finest known. Superb extremely fine. From a private collection; former Armand Trampitsch (1893-1975) collection, Jean Vinchon 1986 (13 November) lot 37
The amazing figure of Apollo on the archaic coinage of Caulonia has been much discussed, as it appears to represent a particular part of the legend of Apollo, the famous god of prophecy at Delphi. In the foundation myth of this shrine, Apollo was said to have killed the serpent Pytho, and in order to purify himself, he went to the Vale of Tempe, a gorge in Thessaly. A messenger carried a branch of laurel back to Delphi, whose small figure can be seen running on this coin on Apollo's outstretched left arm. In the archaic period Caulonia was a Greek colony of considerable importance though very little is known of its history. In antiquity it was said to be one of the places in which the Greek philosopher Pythagoras was active
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