Focus: Magna Graecia

The "focus" thread made me stop and take stock; not only of the coins I have but of the potential "focus areas". One of them for me is the coins of Magna Graecia. They're older then most of my other coins and in many ways are far more elegant and artistic.

That said, I would like to invite you all to post your coins of the cities of Magna Graecia.

My first is: a silver stater from Thourioi (Thurii) in the district of Lucania circa 400-35BC



Athena hd r, Skylla on helmet
Bull butting r, HP monogram above, fish below; sim.
SNG ANS 1041

 

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Beautiful stater. Really, really nice.

 

A much smaller bronze also from Thourioi
Apollo left
"QOY" to right of a cornucopiae "SW" to left, "FI" to lower right

AE13

 

Yup, lovely coin. Dont own any of Magna Graecia.

 

I'm not sue, but I think Calabria was part of Magna Graecia.

TARAS, CALABRIA
AR Diobol
OBVERSE: Head of Athena in crested helmet left decorated with Skylla
REVERSE: Herakles kneeling right, strangling lion
Struck at Taras 380-334 BC
1.2g, 11mm
Vlasto 1316

 

Another stater from the same region Lucania/Campania but the city is Velia

334-300 BC
Head of Athena, left, wearing a Phrygian helmet decorated with cenatauress; monogram behind.
lion feeding left, L above, monogram below,

 

yes it is!

 

+1

MG coin is high on my list....very nice.

 

Sicily, Syracuse Heiron II
AE 18
274-216 BC
Diademed head of Poseidon left
trident head, with scrolls decoration between prongs; lotiform shaft, flanked by dolphins
SNG Cop 850

 

From what I read there is some disagreement as to Sicily being a member of the MG. But, hey, it gives me a chance to post more coins.

 

Campania, Neapolis
Head of Nymph Rt
Man headed bull walking right
SNG ANS 344
7.04 grs

 

One of the original owls. Very cool.

 

Compania, Neapolis
AR didrachm
after 395 BC
Female head right, wearing triple pendant earring
Man-faced bull walking left, being crowned by Victory
Cf. Hn Italy 563 ff

 

http://www.magnagraecia.nl/coins/
I have a real love/hate relationship with this site. The author assumes you know enough to find the cities on his maps. If you just bought a coin of Sybaris as I did and if you know it was in Lucania and if you can find it on the map that comes up when you click on the first map --- then you can go see the coins. Sicily is divided into numbered sections so test yourself and see how many tries it takes you to find Syracuse. I love the information hidden in the inner reaches but really....

Yes you can use the search engine but try the maps anyway.

Six of the coins on my Favorites page are from Magna Gracia. That is far more than the percentage of my collection from there. Here are a few

Metapontum obol

Kroton stater

Velia stater

Syracuse tetradrachm

Akragas AE quadrans


Sorry for the lack of details but I'm away from home and those interested can ask or look them up. The little computer does not have my new treasure from Sybaris yet so it is not here. I do not like the idea of a focus but if I did, Magna Graecia would be high on my list of candidates. They have thousands of coins I would like to have. A person could collect Syracuse by Boehringer numbers. That would be a set I could appreciate.

 

Coins of Magna Graecia are also very interesting because the bronze coins are just as beautiful as the silver (I got no gold, alas).

 

Atta-boy, JBG ... sweet OP coin!! (congrats)

Ummm, apparently I have a few of these types ...

Neapolis, Campania, AR Nomos


Campania Teanum Sidicinum


Lucania, Velia AR Nomos


Syracuse Heiron I Tet


Bruttium Rhegion


Calabria Tarentum

 

Gorgeous posts!!!

I'll start by offering this 19 mm bronze of Hieron from Syracuse (and yes I know, the sellers photo has the trident upside down LOL):

 

Superb coins, JB - I wish you would show-and-tell more often. And wonderful contributions to the thread!

 

Here's another modest choice from Syracuse (a bit dark as well)---19 mm bronze of Agothocles (317-295 BC) with Kore and a bull butting....6.2 grams.

 

One from Bruttium, The Brettii, A very interesting group of people.



One from Kantane, Kantana, Siscily.



And a lowly little coin, hardly ever found very nice, from Theramai, Siscily with Hera and Hercules.