ISLANDS OFF IONIA, Chios. Pseudo-autonomous issue. 1.5 Assaria (Bronze, 23 mm, 7.02 g, 7 h), time of the Antonines, 138-192. ΧΙΩΝ Sphinx seated to right, placing right forepaw on Chian amphora. Rev. ΑϹϹΑΡΙΟΝ ΗΜΥϹΥ Two crossed thyrsoi; all within a vine wreath with bunch of grapes hanging between the thyrsoi. BMC 126 = RPC IV.2 online 982.3 (same obverse die). Winterthur 3235 (same obverse die). Very rare and very likely the finest known. An exceptional example from this highly interesting provincial series naming the denomination on the reverse. Extremely fine.


Chios was one of just three poleis with the right of coinage to never issue Roman Provincial coins with an imperial portrait (the others being Athens and Termessus Major). Remarkably, the Chian provincial coinage always spells out the name of the respective denomination, an extremely rare occurrence on ancient coins and hence of great interest to numismatic researchers.