Coin issued by Neapolis, Campania, Italy, Ancient Greek States, circa 250 BC
Minted by Neapolis
Head of Apollo laureate facing left, in front the Greek (partly off the flan) NEOPOLITON, behind an uncertain letter
Man headed bull walking to right, head facing. Nike flying right above the bull is crowning it with a wreath. Below the bull the Greek letters IS and in the exergue a monogram based around the letter X
Coins, like this, bearing the Greek letter IS are dated to or just before the First Punic War (264-241 BC). Crawford reports that six different types of copper coins were in simulatneous production, this was the smallest denomination. The man-headed bull on the reverse was a river-god called Achelous who appeared as a suitor to a mortal in a myth in the form of a bull.
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Mr Lincoln, Eugene von Guerard, 15/3/1976
circa 250 BC
Type of item
19 mm (Width), 5.867 g (Weight)
cf. BMC. Italy p. 114 No. 210
[Book] Poole, Reginald S. 1873. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Italy., 114 Pages
[Book] Crawford, Michael H. 1985. Coinage & Money under the Roman Republic., 34-35 Pages
[Catalogue] Pullin, Ruth. 2011. Nature Revealed: Eugene von Guerard.