Greek
Thrace hemidrachm earrings, Classical Greek, circa 386 - 338 BC
Silver, gold
Length of coins: 1.2 cm; maximum drop of earrings: 3 cm
A pair of bespoke modern 18 carat gold earrings with hooks, each set with an ancient silver hemidrachm of Chersonesos, Thrace. Both coins date to circa 386 - 338 BC...
A pair of bespoke modern 18 carat gold earrings with hooks, each set with an ancient silver hemidrachm of Chersonesos, Thrace.
Both coins date to circa 386 - 338 BC and depict a quadripartite incuse square, with two sunken quarters containing a pellet and letter motifs (one with a VE monogram; the other an E and a AΓ monogram), the forepart of a roaring lion on the other side.
Both coins date to circa 386 - 338 BC and depict a quadripartite incuse square, with two sunken quarters containing a pellet and letter motifs (one with a VE monogram; the other an E and a AΓ monogram), the forepart of a roaring lion on the other side.
Provenance
Kallos Gallery, London, acquired from Dix Noonan and Web, London, September 2021Literature
Chersonesos was an ancient Greek city-state located in Thrace. Like other Greek city-states, Chersonesos was built on land from which it could exploit the military or economic advantages of its location. Located on a peninsula extending from Europe into the Aegean on the west and the Dardanelles on the east, its name derives from the ancient Greek word for ‘peninsula’.These coins come in various forms with different motifs and monograms inside the incuse squares. Lions appear on ancient coins from the very dawn of coinage. As the king of beasts lions were often chosen by Greek city-states to represent their city.