IONIA. Kolophon. Circa 375-350 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 15.05 g, 11 h), Heleo..., magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo to left. Rev. KOΛO-Φ-ΩΝΙΟΝ / HΛEO[...] Kithara with seven strings; all within incuse square. BMC -. Hecatomnus -, cf. p. 97 and pl. 6 (differing magistrates). Kinns -. Milne -. Pixodarus -. Traité -. An unpublished variety of an extremely rare issue. Beautifully toned and of fine style. Minor deposits and with faint scratches and corrosion on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.


The late classical tetradrachms from Kolophon are extremely rare: less than ten specimens are known, and this is the first from this magistrate. On the coin, he calls himself Heleo..., a name that is not attested elsewhere. Therefore, it might be a local variant spelling of Helio..., suggesting his full name was Heliodoros.