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Argolis, Epidauros ca. 250-240 BC, AR Hemidrachm
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Laureate head of Asklepios left; Θ re-cut over an effaced E behind.
EΠ monogram within wreath.
HGC 5, 729; Requier Monnayage Series 4 [2], 202 (this coin) dies D2/R3, weight recorded as 2.34 g on BCD tag = Requier 2, 202); BCD Peloponnesos 1243-44 (same dies); Dewing 1931 (same dies).
(16 mm, 2.35 g, 7h).
Struck from worn dies as are all examples of this the last civic hemidrachm issue of Epidauros.
CNG Classical Numismatic Review XXXIX, 1, Spring 2014, 976803 from the BCD Collection; ex-1979/80 Epidauros Hoard (CH VII, 69).
This emission was the last civic silver issue struck by Epidauros. It was struck on a reduced weight standard that was adopted throughout most of the Peloponnesos from around 250 BC. It utilized an obverse die from the preceding emission on which the Θ mint control (D2) was re-cut over the earlier E mint control (D1). In 243 BC the last of pro-Macedonian tyrants that had ruled Epidauros for the previous fifty years was forced to step aside by Aretos of Sikyon, the strategos of the Achaean League. This event probably bought to an end the civic silver issues of Epidauros, although bronze civic coinage continued down to ca. 200 BC. After this, a few Epidauran issues in silver and bronze, conforming to Achaean League standards, were made in the period leading up to the defeat of the League by Rome in 146 BC
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