Thrace. Thasos. AR Trite (3.46g), ca. 420 BC. Picard 2; Svoronos 27. Rare. Old cabinet tone. Well centered and struck. A fraction of great beauty and elegance! Choice extremely fine. Acquired privately from Tradart, Brussels; Bank Leu 1983 (33) lot 269; Raul Abecassis (1905-1977) collection; Adolph Hess & Bank Leu 1971 (49) lot 98; Jules Desneux (1885-1962) collection.

This magnificent trite is artistically very interesting because the engraver seems to have been ambitious. Indeed, instead of just running to the right in archaic fashion, as he does on the Thasian fifth century coinage, the satyr is clearly kneeling, preparing to push himself up with his bent right leg so that he can lift the well-dressed nymph. A dramatic moment of time has thus been very well captured on this coin!