IONIA. Magnesia ad Maeandrum (?). Circa 500-464 BC. Tetartemorion (Silver, 5 mm, 0.18 g, 6 h). Head of a rooster to right. Rev. MA[Γ] (retrograde) Head of an eagle to right; all within incuse square. BMC -. HN Online 2173 ('Ialysos'). Leu Web Auction 16 (2021), 930. Rosen -. SNG Kayhan 1699 ('Ialysos'). Somewhat porous, otherwise, about very fine.


This puzzling issue has previously been assigned to Ialysos on Rhodos based on the obverse, which, if turned wrongly, appears to show the forepart a winged boar, and the reverse legend, which seemingly reads 'IAΛ' on the example in the Kayhan Collection. Another example sold in Leu Web Auction 16, however, clearly reveals that the obverse, in fact, depicts the head of a rooster to right. As for the reverse legend, this could be read as 'ΜΑΓ' retrograde. Finally, the similarity between the eagle's head with those found on the coins of Themistokles and Archepolis from Magnesia strongly hint toward the latter as the origin of our coin.