★ An exceptional issue from Populonia ★

ETRURIA. Populonia. Late 3rd century BC. 11 Units (Bronze, 27 mm, 15.69 g, 9 h). Draped bust of Turms to right, wearing winged petasus; behind, crescent. Rev. 𐌐𐌖𐌐𐌋𐌖𐌍𐌀 ('pupluna' in Etruscan) between two filleted caducei; below legend, /X (mark of value). EC Group LI, 139.23 (O3/R4, but reverse shown upside down on p. 309). HN Italy 190. An exceptional example, very probably the finest known. With a magnificent deep green patina and a wonderful Etruscan-style head of Turms. Faint traces of the usual overstriking, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection, formed before 2005.

Turms was the Etruscan equivalent to the Greek god Hermes and the Roman god Mercury and thus an obvious and indispensable divine companion to a trade and harbor city such as Populonia.