Lot 7: Campania, Neapolis. Ca. 275-250 B.C. Æ litra.

Campania, Neapolis. Ca. 275-250 B.C. Æ litra (19 mm, 5.37 g, 1 h). ΝΕΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, laureate head of Apollo left; behind, three pellets (or the left-most fillet of a filleted bucranium?) / Man-headed bull walking right, head facing; above, Nike flying right, crowning bull with wreath; below, IΣ. Taliercio series IIIa; cf. Sambon 672 (N behind head); cf. SNG BN 995-7 (same); cf. SNG ANS 496; HN Italy 589. Nice dark green and earthen patina. Choice very fine. 

SNG ANS 496 is described as possibly having a filleted bucranium behind the head of Apollo, the letters ΙΣ below the bull, and nothing in the exergue (or if so, illegible due to the strike). If this is correct, it would seem to match our coin, and also it would be the only Taliercio series IIIa bronze with a symbol behind Apollo''s head rather than a Greek letter. Sambon did not record the variety, and no examples exist in the Bibliothèque Nationale''s extensive collection of coins from Neapolis.

• Offered By: Barry P. Murphy
• Lot #: 7
• Listing #: 231260
• Closed: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 4:02:00 PM CT
• Estimate: $300