ISLANDS OFF IONIA, Chios. Circa 380-350 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 21 mm, 15.18 g, 11 h), Eorynomos, magistrate. Sphinx with curved wings seated to left; to left, grape bunch above amphora; all on shallow convex surface. Rev. Striated quadripartite incuse square, quartered by bands, the horizontal band inscribed ΕΟΡΥΝΟΜΟΣ. Baldwin, Chios, 75. HGC 6, 1116. Mavrogordato 49. Pixodarus 11. Beautifully centered and with a magnificent rendering of the sphinx. Slightly rough and with light marks, otherwise, good very fine.

As the fifth-largest island in Greece, Chios was a major naval power during the classical period and a key member of both the First and Second Athenian League. It is estimated that the wealthy island had a population of over 120,000 in the 5th and 4th centuries BC - more than twice as many as today, without considering the throngs of tourists who flood the island in summer. This magnificent tetradrachm was minted between 380 and 350 BC, when Chios was part of the Second Athenian League. The obverse features a sphinx, the island’s emblem, alongside an amphora and a bunch of grapes - symbols of the island’s thriving viticulture, which played a major role in its prosperity. The sphinx would remain a hallmark of Chian coinage for over 800 years. In Roman times, Chios was one of the few cities to issue exclusively pseudo-autonomous coins featuring civic iconography, never depicting imperial portraits. The only other cities with this privilege were Athens and Termessos. The reason for this special status remains unclear, though it must have been a specifically granted privilege.