THRACE. Maroneia. Circa 386/5-348/7 BC. Stater (Silver, 25 mm, 11.44 g, 4 h), Kallikrates, magistrate. Bridled horse springing to left, with trailing rein; below, spitz standing left.
Rev. EΠI K-AΛΛ-IKPA-TEΟΣ around linear square containing grape vine with four bunches of grapes; all within shallow incuse square. Jameson 1061 (
same dies). Schönert-Geiss 488 (V33/R58). SNG Copenhagen 603 = A.B. West: Fifth and Fourth Century Gold Coins from the Thracian Coast, in: ANS NNM 40 (1929), p. 138, 84b (
same dies). A beautiful, fresh coin, very sharply struck on a broad flan and undoubtedly among the finest known. Good extremely fine.
From the Kleinkunst Collection, ex Sotheby's, 8 July 1996, 38 ('Highly important Greek and Roman coins') and Numismatic Fine Arts XXVII, 4-5 December 1991, 39.
The wonderful artistry and attention to detail on the dies of Kallikrates make an identification of the small dog below the horse easy: it is a spitz, which are characterized by their thick furs, small ears and curved tails. Spitzes are often used as hunting and sledge dogs in Nordic climates today, but they were originally bred as watch and herding dogs - the latter of which appears to be the role of our spitz, as he is shepherding one of Maroneia's magnificent horses.
