ETRURIA. Populonia. Late 3rd century BC. 11 Units (Bronze, 27 mm, 15.69 g, 9 h). Draped bust of Turms to right, wearing winged petasus; behind, crescent. Rev. 𐌐𐌖𐌐𐌋𐌖𐌍𐌀 ('pupluna' in Etruscan) between two filleted caducei; below legend, /X (mark of value). EC Group LI, 139.23 (O3/R4, but reverse shown upside down on p. 309). HN Italy 190. An exceptional example, very probably the finest known. With a magnificent deep green patina and a wonderful Etruscan-style head of Turms. Faint traces of the usual overstriking, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.




Turms was the Etruscan equivalent to the Greek god Hermes and the Roman god Mercury and thus an obvious and indispensable divine companion to a trade and harbor city such as Populonia.