Theban Coin and Odysseus' Bow

[Rhetor]

Hi All,

I’m currently teaching the Odyssey and ran across this illustration in Ralph Hexter’s GUIDE TO THE ODYSSEY of a Theban coin depicting the stringing of a double-torsion bow.  (The stringing of Odysseus’ bow is one of the tasks the Suitors of Penelope are required to perform, and one at which only a disguised Odysseus succeeds.)

Could somebody upload a picture or a link to this coin?  Does this coin ever come on the market?  I’d like to find out more about this coin.

Rhetor

[Howard Cole]

Check out Ed Snible's site.

http://www.snible.org/coins/hn/boeotia.html#Thebes

[Howard Cole]

As answer to your second coin.  I believe this coin is fairly rare.  I did a search of Coin Archieves, CNG and Wildwinds and could not find one that was sold recently.

In Sear's book, he list the price for one in VF condition as 2,500 pounds.  It is not the most expensive coin from Thebes, but it is up there.  The price that Sear gives is a good indication that this coin is rare.

[bpmurphy]

I don't recall seeing one of this type recently, although I could be forgetting something. I believe there will be one for sale in Triton IX, but you'll have to wait a year for that.

Barry Murphy

[Rhetor]

Thanks, fellas.  At 2500 pounds (what is that, about $4000-4500 US?) I'll probably have to pass.  Oh well.  If I want an Odyssey-related coin, there's always that lovely Roman Republican serrated denarius depicting Ulysses returning to Ithaka and greeting his poor dog Argos!

Rhetor

[esnible]

Get John Anthony's book Collecting Greek Coins.  I believe it is out-of-print, but bookfinder.com lists copies as cheaply as $8.

A chapter is devoted Odyssey-related coins, including many inexpensive pieces.

[Myrmidon]

Well Rhetor,
in this case I can only help with the ... author himself
Here one coin with a Homer-portraiture on the left side, from Ionia-Kolophon :


Regards
Myrmidon