Description: Archaios Numismatics Description: Greek Silver coin (Hemidrachm) of the Island of Rhodes in Caria, Circa 188-170 B.C. Obverse: Radiate Profile head Helios of Rhodes Reverse: Rose; P-O across; all within rectangular incuse. Mint: Rhodes, Caria Size: 15 mm Weight: 1.77 g Ref: Troxell, Lycian Period IV, Series 1, 84; SNG Copenhagen -59-60; RPC I 3301. Condition: VF/aVF. Appears to be a saltwater find based on the surface condition. Please use the Pictures as your judge as grading is subjective. Inventory #: 60.05Provenance: Numis Lanz TEZ836--> Notes: Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and has been occupied throughout history from Neolithic, Minoan, Mycenaean, and Archaic Greek periods up till the present. In the 8th century BC, the island's main settlements started to form, with the coming of the Dorians, who built the three important cities of Lindos, Ialyssos and Kameiros, which together with Kos, Cnidus and Halicarnassus (on the mainland) made up the so-called Dorian Hexapolis (Greek for six cities). In Pindar's ode, the island was said to be born of the union of Helios the sun god and the nymph Rhodos, and the cities were named for their three sons. The rhoda is a pink hibiscus, native to the island. Helios was the patron diety of Rhodes upon the city's foundation in 407 BC, and became the nearly universal obverse type of Rhodian coinage over the following four centuries. The rose was the dominant type on the reverse of Rhodian coins until the first century AD, being based on a pun on the city's name, as was common practice in Greek coinage. This series of 'plinthophoric' silver fractions was among the longest-running of all the Rhodian series from 190 BC to 84 BC. Its types continued from that found on previous issues but represents a complete overhaul of the monetary system, in which the traditional Rhodian standard was abandoned in favor of a new standard based on a 'plinthophoric' drachm of around 3 grams, which was more commensurate with other currencies of the time. Another innovation was the abandonment of all denominations higher than a drachm, and a proliferation of regular issues of hemidrachms and diobols. On drachms and diobols Helios was now more often portrayed in profile, rather than facing, and the facing portraits on hemidrachms were now radiate. The reverse design was placed into a shallow incuse square, which is where the name of the series is derived (plinthos = brick or ingot). The plinthophoric coinage came to an end during the First Mithridatic War, during which the Roman survivors of the Vespers of 88 BC fled to Rhodes, which was subsequently besieged by the Pontic king. The siege lasted for six months, during which time the silver supply had dwindled to such low quantities that the coinage was supplanted by issues of large-denomination bronzes (see Ashton, Coinage, pp. 61-5). Various excerpts from Head Hist. Num, and Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, CNG We Thank You for stopping in and taking time to look at and bid on our listings. Good Luck Bidding ! We encourage you to click the "See other items" link above in the "Seller Information" area of the listing as well to check out our other items posted. We have a variety of great classical and other ancient numismatic items available. We will be regularly continuing to post for sale and auction a wide variety of Ancient Roman, Greek, and Eastern coins as well as Medieval, Byzantine, and some Modern coins as well. You can also follow us to be notified when new listings are posted. With over 20 years in the numismatics hobby we continue to revel in the excitement that comes from holding each new small piece of history in our hands. We enjoy the enduring sense of history both of the prior uses and users as well as the creativity and necessity that surround the time and place at which these coins were minted and used in circulation. Our aim is to cater not just to the high end collector but also to the hobbyist and the newly initiated and those on a limited budget. Everyone starts the hobby somewhere and where we can share our knowledge to help inform or jumpstart your collecting pleasure we will aim to do so. We want you to love every purchase you make with us and we always stand by the quality and authenticity of all the coins we are selling.
Price: 125 USD
Location: Seattle, Washington
End Time: 2024-12-02T19:08:17.000Z
Shipping Cost: 4 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Denomination: Hemidrachm
Composition: Silver
