Two relatively inexpensive Greek coins, one from Ionia,Teos and one from Thrace, Abdera that I hope you find of interest.
Teos, a once flourishing seaport some 15 miles west of Lebedus. The majority of the citizens left their homes in B.C. 544, refusing to submit to the Persians, and migrated to Abdera on the coast of Thrace, whose earliest coins bear a very close resemblance to those of the mother- city.
The autonomous bronze coins of Teos range from the latter part of the fourth century down to Roman times; but they are of no special interest. The usual types are--obv. Griffin, and rev. Kantharos, Ivy-wreath, or Lyre, with inscr. ΤHΙΩΝ and magistrate's name in nom. case.
Abdera, on the southern coast of Thrace, not far from the mouth of the river Nestus, was originally a Clazomenian colony founded in the seventh century B.C. This first venture did not prove a success, but in B.C. 544 the site was reoccupied by the larger portion of the population of Teos, who preferred to leave their native land rather than submit to the Persian conqueror (Herod. i. 168). Abdera now rose to be a place of considerable importance and wealth, on which account it was selected by Xerxes as one of his resting places in his progress along the northern shores of the Aegean. This is the period to which its earliest coins belong. (Ref. snible.org Digital Historia Numorum)
Ionia, Teos AE11 Grffin/Kantharos within linear square, THIΩN. I'm not sure of the date on this one.
Thrace, Abdera AE14. 3rd century BC. Griffin recumbent on club; magistrates, ΦΙ, ΕΡΜΟ, ΕΥ'Ν, ΜΕΝ'Ν, ΕΙ, &c. 'B
∆HΡΙΤΕΩΝ Head of Apollo in linear square.
I haven't found a match to the letters in the Exergue on this coin yet.
I've noticed that on most Teos coins with the Griffin, it is facing right where as most coins from Abdera with the Griffin, it is facing left.
However, this Abdera type pictured here has a right facing Griffin. Not sure why.
The inscription on this Abdera starts in the upper left and goes all the way around the coin. The TE is upside down.
The Teos was 57.00,the Abdera was 34.00.
Posted 03/22/2012 12:57 pm
I enjoyed the history too--it makes the coins more interesting to me.
