A Really Neat Little Coin From Neandreia In Troas

Neandreia, was a Greek city near the summit of Mount Chigri, in the south-west of the Troas (Troad) region of Anatolia. Today it's site lies around 9 km east of the remains of the ancient city of Alexandria Troas, in the Ezine district of Canakkale province, Turkey.

Wildwinds only shows fifteen types of coins from Neandreia, in silver and bronze. Most are small, and some are tiny at only 6 mm in diameter, but they all share a simplicity of design that I find very attractive. When this little gem came up at auction I couldn't resist bidding on it. It went for a very modest price, and I thought it was worth sharing with the community.

Neandreia appears to have had a long and peaceful existance, without the invasions and wars that other cities suffered. The city was agriculturally prosperous, as can be seen from the coin reverses, which feature grains, grapes, amphoras, and animals such as rams, and the famous Troas horse.

In 310 BC, Antigonus I Monophthalmus founded Antigonia Troas and moved the citizens of the nearby cities, including Neandreia, to his new city. Antigonia was later to be renamed Alexandria Troas by Lysimachos in 301 BC. In the 1st century AD, Pliny the Elder listed Neandreia among the settlements in the Troad which no longer existed.

TROAS, Neandreia, 350-310 BC.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Corn-grain, NEAN above, bunch of grapes below. Bronze. Diameter: 10 mm. Weight: 1.2 gr.
SNG Cop 448.