72 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OP THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Remarkable Coins and Medals. 



1. Greek Series : — 



Syracuse. — A selection of gold coins from a hoard dis- 

 covered about three years ago near the town of Avola, some 

 three miles south-west of Syracuse. Previous to this find the 

 Syracusan gold aKaTovraXirpa were of the highest degree 

 of rarity. The newly-acquired selection comprises 10 

 varieties, all differing in details, such as letters in the field 

 and small mint-marks, some of which correspond with the 

 symbols on the well-known dekadrachms by the engraver 

 Euainetos, thus proving that the gold coins are contemporary 

 with the silver. In style the heads of Arethusa on the gold 

 coins offer considerable differences, which also correspond 

 with similar differences of style perceptible in the series of 

 the dekadrachms. On some specimens the ethnic appears in 

 the older form SYPAKOSION, and on others as SYPAK0SI12N, 

 showing that they belong to the period of transition, at 

 Syracuse, from to O, and therefore to the closing years of the 

 fifth century B.C. 



Olbia in Sarmatia. — Two rare specimens of the large 

 bronze cast coinage of this wealthy Milesian colony on the 

 northern coast of the Euxine. Olbia would seem, from this 

 issue of " aes grave," to have been the only town outside 

 Italy and Sicily which made use of bronze, apparently of full 

 weight and value, as money. The occasion of the issue of 

 the Olbian " aes grave " is quite unknown. Judging by style, 

 the dates of these coins can hardly be earlier than circ. 

 B.C. 350. On one specimen is a Gorgon head and the letters 

 APIX; on the other, the full-face head of a goddess and the 

 legend OABIH. 



Thrace. — A drachm of Seuthes I., King of the Odrysse, 

 circ. B.C. 400, w^ith the interesting inscription SEV9A 

 KOMMA, " Coin of Seuthes." The Museum has long pos- 

 sessed a didrachm of this king, but up to the present time no 

 drachm was known. 



Ahdera in Thrace. — Two bronze coins, circ. B.C. 400, one of 

 them with a beautiful head of Apollo on the obverse. 



Mende in Macedon. — Eight small silver coins, including a 

 fine tetrobol, circ. B.C. 400-350, stamped with a head of the 

 youthful Dionysos. 



Potidcea in Macedon. — An extremely rare tetradrachm, 

 circ. B.C. 500 ; obverse, Poseidon Hippios carrying his trident 

 on horseback to the left ; beneath the horse, a star. 



Larissa 



