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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Greece| ▸ |Thessaly||View Options:  |  |  |   

Thessaly, Greece

Thessaly was home to extensive Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures around 6000 B.C. - 2500 B.C. Mycenaean settlements have also been discovered. In Archaic and Classical times, the lowlands of Thessaly became the home of baronial families, such as the Aleuadae of Larissa or the Scopads of Krannon. In the 4th century B.C. Jason of Pherae transformed Thessaly into a significant military power. Shortly after, Philip II of Macedon was appointed Archon of Thessaly, and the region was associated with the Macedonian Kingdom for the next centuries. Later Thessaly became part of the Roman province of Macedonia.Thessaly

Pharsalos, Thessaly, Greece, Late 5th - Mid 4th Century B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Pharsalos,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |Late| |5th| |-| |Mid| |4th| |Century| |B.C.||drachm|
The tiny letters on the obverse and reverse are artist signatures. TH has been identified as Telephantos and MI as his "apprentice." The referenced BCD coin with the same obverse die and a reverse die by the same hand, near EF and well-struck, sold for $90,000 plus fees.
SH76215. Silver drachm, Lavva 153 (V72/R89); BCD Thessaly II 642 (same obv. die); cf. BMC Thessaly p. 43, 10; SNG Cop 221, gVF, full helmet crest on obverse, some die wear, weight 5.946 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 135o, Pharsalos (Farsala, Greece) mint, late 5th - mid 4th century B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with Skylla on bowl, raising hand to shade her eyes, tiny TH over MI behind neck; reverse Φ-A-P-Σ (clockwise from upper left, Σ and P retrograde), Thessalian cavalryman on horse prancing right, wearing petasos, chlamys, and chiton, brandishing lagobolon overhead in right hand, reins in left hand, horse wears beaded strand around neck, tiny TH below the feet of the cavalryman; SOLD


Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, c. 405 - 370 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Larissa,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |c.| |405| |-| |370| |B.C.||drachm|
"With typical prescience, Colin Kraay conjectured that Larissa's staters and mass drachm issues belonged to the early Macedonian period and in fact resulted from the intervention of Philip II, who probably placed Macedonian silver at the disposal of Larissa. Several of the hoards cited above support the general thrust of Kraay's hypothesis though they illustrate a flow of Larissaean coinage to Macedon, probably before 348, rather than provision of Macedonian silver to Larissa." -- C. Lorber, "A Hoard of Facing Head Larissa Drachms" in SNR 79 (2000).
GS68671. Silver drachm, Lorber-Shahar, Early Group 6, head type 25 (O118/R1); SNG Cop -, VF, fine style, well centered, a few marks, lightly etched surfaces, weight 5.483 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, die axis 180o, Larissa mint, c. 405 - 370 B.C.; obverse head of nymph Larissa facing slightly left, hair floating freely. Small eyes. Round earring and wire choker well above the neck truncation; reverse ΛAPI above, horse grazing right; SOLD


Pharsalos, Thessaly, Greece, Late 5th-Mid 4th Century B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Pharsalos,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |Late| |5th-Mid| |4th| |Century| |B.C.||drachm|
The tiny letters on the obverse and reverse are artist signatures. TH has been identified as Telephantos and MI as his "apprentice." The referenced BCD coin, near EF and well-struck with the same dies, sold for $90,000 plus fees.
SH68673. Silver drachm, BCD Thessaly II 642 corr. (same dies, says signature is MHT on reverse) = Lavva 154 (V72/R90), VF, poorly struck with magnificently engraved dies, weight 6.024 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 45o, Pharsalos (Farsala, Greece) mint, late 5th-mid 4th century B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with Skylla on bowl, raising hand to shade her eyes, tiny TH over MI behind neck; reverse Φ-A-P-Σ (clockwise from upper right, Σ and P retrograde), Thessalian cavalryman on horse prancing right, wearing petasos, chlamys, and chiton, brandishing lagobolon overhead in right, reins in left, horse branded with B on rump and Φ on shoulder, tiny MTH below horse; SOLD


Mopsion, Thessaly, c. 350 - 300 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Mopsion,| |Thessaly,| |c.| |350| |-| |300| |B.C.||trichalkon|
Mopsion issued only bronze coins, and only c. 350 - 300 B.C. In Nomos 4, BCD notes, "The bronzes of Mopsion are practically impossible to find in nice condition and without flaws or corrosion. They are also very rare and desirable because of the their spectacularly eloquent reverse. The nicest one to come up for auction realized $18,000..."

Mopsion, in the Peneus valley half way between Larissa and Tempe, took its name from the Lapith Mopsos, a son of Ampyx. Mopsos learned augury from Apollo, understood the language of birds, and became an Argonaut seer. As depicted on this coin, he was one of the Lapiths who defeated the Centaurs. This battle was a favorite subject of Greek art. While fleeing across the Libyan desert from angry sisters of the slain Gorgon Medusa, Mopsos died from the bite of a viper that had grown from a drop of Medusa's blood. Medea was unable to save him, even by magical means. The Argonauts buried him with a monument by the sea, and a temple was later erected on the site.
GB85628. Bronze trichalkon, BCD Thessaly II 486 (same dies), BCD Thessaly I 1210 var. (MOΨEIΩN), Rogers 412 var. (same), McClean 4648 var. (same), SNG Cop -, BMC -, gVF, green patina, bold centered strike on a tight flan, small pits including one on tip of nose., weight 7.719 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 0o, Mopsion (Bakraina(?), Greece) mint, c. 350 - 300 B.C.; obverse head of Zeus facing slightly right, vertical thunderbolt to right; reverse MOΨEI-ATΩN, Lapith Mopsos standing facing, nude, his head turned right, raising club in right hand and extending his left hand, fighting centaur that is rearing left and raising a bolder over its head with both hands preparing to throw it; ex BCD with his round tag; very rare; SOLD


Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, c. 440 - 400 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Larissa,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |c.| |440| |-| |400| |B.C.||drachm|
During religious games, the young men of Thessaly participated in bull jumping and bull wrestling. In bull wrestling, participants would jump from a horse, naked save a chlamys and cap, to bring a bull down to the ground. The obverse shows a wrestler bringing down a bull and the reverse shows the horse running free after the leap was made. The game may have originated in Asia Minor and then traveled to Crete, where it is known the people of Thessaly learned the sport.
SH19450. Silver drachm, SNG Cop 107 var. (legend break), SNG Ashmolean 3863, gVF, weight 6.016 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 270o, Larissa mint, c. 440 - 400 B.C.; obverse youth wrestling or restraining bull, both to right; reverse ΛAP/IΣAIA, bridled horse galloping right, all in incuse square; toned; scarce; SOLD


Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, 395 - 344 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Larissa,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |395| |-| |344| |B.C.||drachm|
The use of perspective on ancient coins is rare.
SH26060. Silver drachm, SGCV I 2122; BMC Thessaly p. 30, 63; SNG Cop 124 - 125, gVF, toned, weight 6.012 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 270o, Larissa mint, obverse head of the nymph Larissa 3/4 face to left, wearing necklace; reverse ΛAPI/ΣAIΩN, mare walking right with foal beside her; SOLD


Pherai, Thessaly, Tyrant Alexander, 369 - 359 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Pherai,| |Thessaly,| |Tyrant| |Alexander,| |369| |-| |359| |B.C.||obol|
Thucydides lists Pherae among the early Thessalian supporters of Athens at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (History of the Peloponnesian War 2.22). Toward the end of the war Lycophron established a tyranny at Pherae. On his death his son Jason became dictator and by around 374 B.C. extended his rule throughout Thessaly. After Jason's assassination and that of his two successors Alexander ruled Pherae with great harshness until he was killed by his wife, Thebe, in 359 B.C., and Thessaly was conquered by the Thebans. Philip of Macedon conquered Pherae in 352 B.C. and subjected Thessaly to Macedonian rule.
SH47897. Silver obol, BCD Thessaly I 1313; HGC 4 580; SNG Cop 244; Traité IV 618 & pl. CCXCIV, 19, VF, weight 0.698 g, maximum diameter 10.3 mm, Pherai mint, obverse wheel of four spokes; reverse labrys (double ax), A-ΛΕ curving below divided by handle; very rare; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Perseus, 179 - 168 B.C., Pseudo-Rhodian Coinage

|Macedonian| |Kingdom|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Perseus,| |179| |-| |168| |B.C.,| |Pseudo-Rhodian| |Coinage||drachm|
Richard Ashton has attributed this type to a mint in Thessaly striking during the third Macedonian war for Perseus to pay the 3,000 or more Cretan mercenaries in his army. Rhodian coinage, including locally struck imitatives, circulated in quantity on Crete and the type would have been preferred method of payment for Cretan mercenaries.
SH58549. Silver drachm, Ashton Pseudo-Rhodian Mainland pp. 29 - 30, Larissa Hoard p. 241 (N. Greece), SNG Keckman 793 - 795 (Thessaly), SNG Cop suppl. 358 (Peraea Rodia), EF, rose toning on luster, weight 2.675 g, maximum diameter 16.8 mm, die axis 180o, uncertain Thessaly mint, magistrate Hermias, c. 171 - 170 B.C.; obverse head of Helios facing slightly right; reverse EPMIAΣ (magistrate), rose, with bud right, I - Ω flanking stem; a beautiful coin!; SOLD


The Magnetes, Thessaly, Greece, c. 150 - 130 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |The| |Magnetes,| |Thessaly,| |Greece,| |c.| |150| |-| |130| |B.C.||tetrachalkon|
The Magnetes were an ancient Greek tribe living in Thessalian Magnesia who took part in the Trojan War. They later also contributed to the Greek colonization by founding two prosperous cities in Western Anatolia, Magnesia on the Maeander and Magnesia ad Sipylum. After the liberation of Thessaly in 197 B.C., the Magnetes struck federal coins for the whole of the Magnesian peninsula at Demerias, where their assemblies were held, and where the Magnetarchs resided. The head of Zeus was also used on contemporary coins of the Thessalian League. The Magnetes made sacrifices to the centaur Cheiron who lived on the nearby Mt. Pelion.
SH67647. Bronze tetrachalkon, cf. Rogers Thessaly 342; BCD Thessaly II 418.5; Lindgren II 1402; SNG Cop 159; HGC 4 64, VF, some legend unstruck, well centered, nice green patina, weight 8.242 g, maximum diameter 21.4 mm, die axis 45o, Demetrias (near Volos, Greece) mint, 150 - 130 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Zeus; reverse MAΓNHTΩN, centaur Cheiron standing right, right hand extended, branch in left over shoulder; SOLD


Mopsion, Thessaly, c. 350 - 300 B.C.

|Thessaly|, |Mopsion,| |Thessaly,| |c.| |350| |-| |300| |B.C.||trichalkon|
Mopsion issued only bronze coins, and only c. 350 - 300 B.C. In Nomos 4, BCD notes, "The bronzes of Mopsion are practically impossible to find in nice condition and without flaws or corrosion. They are also very rare and desirable because of the their spectacularly eloquent reverse. The nicest one to come up for auction realized $18,000..."

Mopsion, in the Peneus valley half way between Larissa and Tempe, took its name from the Lapith Mopsos, a son of Ampyx. Mopsos learned augury from Apollo, understood the language of birds, and became an Argonaut seer. As depicted on this coin, he was one of the Lapiths who defeated the Centaurs. This battle was a favorite subject of Greek art. While fleeing across the Libyan desert from angry sisters of the slain Gorgon Medusa, Mopsos died from the bite of a viper that had grown from a drop of Medusa's blood. Medea was unable to save him, even by magical means. The Argonauts buried him with a monument by the sea, and a temple was later erected on the site.
GB87120. Bronze trichalkon, BCD Thessaly II 484, BCD Thessaly I 1210, Rogers 412, McClean 4648, HGC 4 537 (R2), SNG Cop -, Pozzi -, BMC Thessaly -, gF, dark garnet and black patina, well centered, a little rough, weight 8.082 g, maximum diameter 20.5 mm, die axis 225o, Mopsion (Bakraina(?), Greece) mint, c. 350 - 300 B.C.; obverse head of Zeus facing slightly right, vertical thunderbolt to right; reverse MOΨ-EI-ΩN, Lapith Mopsos standing facing, nude, his head turned right, raising club in right hand and extending his left hand, fighting centaur that is rearing left and raising a bolder over its head with both hands preparing to throw it; ex BCD with his round tag noting, "HK ex Thess., April 02, $275.-"; very rare; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES|

Babelon, E. Traité des Monnaies Grecques et Romaines. (Paris, 1901-1932).
Burnett, A., M. Amandry, et al. Roman Provincial Coinage. (London, 1992 - ).
Burrer, F. Münzprägung und geschichte des thessalischen Bundes in der römischen kaiserzeit bis auf Hadrian (31 v. Chr. - 138 n. Chr.). (Saarbrücken, 1993).
Classical Numismatic Group. The B|C|D Collection of the Coinage of Thessaly. Triton XV Auction. (New York, 3 January 2012).
Forrer, L. Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Greek Coins formed by Sir Hermann Weber. (1922 - 1929).
Gardner, P. Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Thessaly to Aetolia. (London, 1883).
Grose, S. Catalogue of the McClean Collection of Greek Coins, Fitzwilliam Museum, Vol. II - The Greek mainland, the Aegaean islands, Crete. (Cambridge, 1926).
Herrmann, F. "Die Silbermünzen von Larissa in Thessalien" in ZfN 35 (1925), p. 1-69.
Hoover, O. Handbook of Coins of Northern and Central Greece: Achaia Phthiotis, Ainis, Magnesia, Malis, Oita, Perrhaibia, Thessaly...Sixth to First Centuries BC. HGC 4. (Lancaster/London, 2014).
Kraay, C. Archaic and Classical Greek Coins. (London, 1976).
Liampi, K. "Trikka" in LIMC 8 (Munich, 1992).
Lavva, S. Die Münzprägung von Pharsalos. Saarbrücker Studien zur Archäologie und Alten Geschichte, Bd. 14. (Saarbrücken, 2001).
Lindgren, H. Ancient Greek Bronze Coins: European Mints from the Lindgren Collection. (1989).
Lorber, C & C. Shahar. The Silver Facing Head Coins of Larissa. (2005).
Lorber, C. "Thessalian Hoards and the Coinage of Larissa" in AJN 20 (2008), pp. 119 - 142.
Mildenberg, L. & S. Hurter, eds. The Dewing Collection of Greek Coins. ACNAC 6. (New York, 1985).
Moustaka, A. Kulte und Mythen auf thessalischen Münzen. (Würzburg, 1983).
Nomos AG, Auction IV. Coins of Thessaly, The B|C|D| Collection. (Zurich, 10 May 2011).
Papaevangelou-Genakos, C. "Metrological Aspects of the Thessalian Bronze Coinages: The Case of Phalanna" in Obolos 7.
Reinder, H. "Appendix 3: The Coins of the City of Halos" in New Halos: a Hellenistic Town in Thessalia, Greece. (Utrecht, 1988).
Rogers, E. The Copper Coinage of Thessaly. (London, 1932).
Sear, D. Greek Coins and Their Values, Volume 1: Europe. (London, 1978).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Vol. 3: Greece: Thessaly to Aegean Islands. (West Milford, NJ, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, München Staatlische Münzsammlung, Part 12: Thessalien-Illyrien-Epirus-Korkyra. (Berlin, 2007).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain III, R.C. Lockett Collection, Part 3: Macedonia - Aegina. (London, 1942).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain V, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Part 4: Paeonia - Thessaly. (London. 1981).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 1, Collection Réna H. Evelpidis. Part 1: Italie. Sicile - Thrace. (Athens, 1970). (Italy, Sicily - Thrace).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 3: Collection Antoine Christomanos. (Athens, 2004).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 5: Numismatic Museum, Athens. The A. G. Soutzos Collection. (Athens, 2007).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Greece 6, The Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection, From Thessaly to Euboea. (Athens, 2011).

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