Nomos 12

THESSALY, Atrax. Early 4th century BC. Trihemiobol (Silver, 14mm, 1.36 g 7). Horseman on horse trotting slowly to right, wearing kausia, short tunic and with a clock over his shoulders and raising his right hand over his horse’s head. Rev. ΑΤΡΑΓΙ - Ο - Ν (last two letters retrograde) Bull walking to right, his head turned slightly forward. Triton XV (BCD II), 3 January 2012, 50 (same dies). Extremely rare, apparently the better of the two known examples and of wonderful style. The usual rough surfaces, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.

The problem with so many of the silver fractions from the area of Thessaly is that the general acidity of the soil has taken its toll on their surfaces. This coin is no exception but, nevertheless, the quality of the engraving is quite simply outstanding. Despite its small size the modeling of the horse and rider, as well as the bull, is beautifully done. This quality is not all that common in fractions from Thessaly; most are by no means as fine and it seems likely that some of the magistrates in charge of coinage production may have organized particularly good engravers for coinages they financed as gifts to their co-citizens.