Italy, Bruttium, Kaulonia (c. 525 BC), Silver Stater, 8.33 gms., die axis 360°, archaic figure of Apollo, naked, striding to the right, holding branch in upraised right hand and small naked running figure carrying a branch in left hand, stag in right field, /KKAVL/k in left, dot and cable border, rev. similar, incuse to the left, no legend, radiate border (Noe 1; SNG ANS 141; Boston 169; SNG Cop. 1698; SNG Lloyd 571/2; ACGC 639), full borders, medium gray tone, choice extremely fine and pratically as struck

Italy, Bruttium, Kaulonia (c. 525 BC), Silver Stater, 8.33 gms., die axis 360°, archaic figure of Apollo, naked, striding to the right, holding branch in upraised right hand and small naked running figure carrying a branch in left hand, stag in right field, /KKAVL/k in left, dot and cable border, rev. similar, incuse to the left, no legend, radiate border (Noe 1; SNG ANS 141; Boston 169; SNG Cop. 1698; SNG Lloyd 571/2; ACGC 639), full borders, medium gray tone, choice extremely fine and pratically as struck

Details

Italy, Bruttium, Kaulonia (c. 525 BC), Silver Stater, 8.33 gms., die axis 360°, archaic figure of Apollo, naked, striding to the right, holding branch in upraised right hand and small naked running figure carrying a branch in left hand, stag in right field, /KKAVL/k in left, dot and cable border, rev. similar, incuse to the left, no legend, radiate border (Noe 1; SNG ANS 141; Boston 169; SNG Cop. 1698; SNG Lloyd 571/2; ACGC 639), full borders, medium gray tone, choice extremely fine and pratically as struck

Provenance

Purchased from Charles Morley in 1940 for $130
S. Rosenburg Sale III, 1914, lot 18

Further details

The magnificent figure represented here is almost certainly Apollo, patron god of Kaulonia, but the precise iconography of the design is in doubt. Colin Kraay suggests that he is shown here immediately after his battle with the serpent for control of the Delphic oracle. Now cleansing himself in the vale of Tempe, he is crowning himself with a laurel and preparing to send a messenger (the tiny figure) back to Delphi to announce his return.