CALABRIA. Tarentum. Circa 340-325 BC. Didrachm or Nomos (Silver, 20 mm, 7.90 g, 7 h), signed by Kal... and Philistion. Nude rider on horseback to left, leading second horse in the background and being crowned by Nike flying to left behind him; in field to left, [K]; below, ΦI.
Rev. TAPAΣ Youthful oikist, nude, riding dolphin to left, attempting to spear fish below with trident; to upper right, raised square; below dolphin,
K; waves below. Basel 84 (
this coin). Fischer-Bossert 707c (
this coin, V265/R551). HN Italy 872. Vlasto 401 (
this coin). Rare. A beautifully toned and well pedigreed coin of the finest style. The obverse struck slightly off center
, otherwise, good very fine.
From the Kleinkunst Collection and from the collections of A. D. Moretti, Numismatica Ars Classica 13, 8 October 1998, 84 and M. P. Vlasto (1874-1936), and from the Carosino hoard of 1905 (IGCH 1928).
The signatures on this issue are those of the famous artist Kal..., whose full name we unfortunately do not know, and of Philistion. Kal... also worked on coins of Herakleia and Metapont, while Philistion, aside from his work for Tarentum, is known to have produced dies for Herakleia, Hyele and Terina.
