Greek Coins. Etruria, Populonia. 20 units after 211, AR

Greek Coins. Etruria, Populonia.
20 units after 211, AR 8.85 g. Gorgoneion; below, X:X. Rev. Blank. Vecchi, Rasna 55 (this obverse die). EC 58.122 (these dies). SNG Ashmolean 5 (this obverse die). SNG France 9 (this obverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 152.

In exceptional condition for the issue. Struck on a very broad flan and unusually

complete. Light old cabinet tone and good extremely fine



From an Exceptional Collection assembled between the early 70s and late 90s.

Populonia was an old Etruscan settlement frequently thought to have been named in honor of Fufluns, an Etruscan wine-god equivalent to Greek Dionysos. However, recent study has shown that this derivation is based on a misreading of Etruscan inscriptions (indeed, Etruscan is still an ancient language that is imperfectly understood) and that the name of the city is most probably related to the Latin word populus meaning "the people." Although Populonia and the other cities of Etruria were first exposed to Greek style coinage through contact with the Greek colonies of western Italy, Etruscan coinage frequently involves features not usually found in mainstream Greek coinage.

Etruscan coins are totally different from any others in the ancient world and they are characterised by blank reverses and marks of value on the obverses, expressed in what is commonly called Roman numerals.

The coinage of Populonia has been divided in three phases by the scholars. This 20 asses belongs in the second series in which we can appreciate a large variety of representations of the Gorgoneion on obverse, and extra pellets are added to the value marks