Thessaly, Phalanna AE Dichalkon (18mm, 5.30g, 12h). Mid 4th century BC.
Obverse: Youthful male head right Apollo or Ares?). Border of dots.
Reverse: ΦAΛANNAIΩN (unbroken, 9h to 3h). Head of the nymph Phalanna right, wearing triple pendant earring and necklace, her hair bound in a decorated sakkos tied at the back.
References: BCD Thessaly I 1255.1, II 578, 583.3; Papaevangelou-Genakos 5, 22; Rogers 452; HGC (4) 170, 175.
Pedigree: Ex-BCD Collection (with original hand-written label; acquired 1992); CNG e-Auction 455, Lot 85 (30 Oct 2019). With his hand written tag, "V. ex Thess., June 92, DM 90." (Purchased in Germany, June 1992?) Other coins from his collection have tags labeled "ex Thess.", dated 1986 to 1998, preceded by a variety of codes (V., T/ne, S., and others). If the codes have been deciphered, I am unaware.
Numis. Notes: Oval shaped flan, strong green & red patina. Die crack around obv. nose. Very rare with this level of detail.
Struck from dies of exceptional quality. Writing about a coin struck from the same obverse die (Triton XV, Lot 578), BCD himself commented: "The style of this coin is superior to most from the large quantities of similarly sized dichalka that constitute the third and final period of the mint’s output according to Papaevangelou-Genakos. These dies were probably cut by a master engraver and were subsequently copied by lesser artists to the extent and amounts required at the time.”
See also: CNG e-Auction 458, Lot 47 (18 Dec 2019), same obv die struck later.