Lucania. Velia. Circa 334-300 BC. Didrachm or nomos (Silver, 23 mm, 7.57 g, 1 h). Head of Athena to left, wearing Attic helmet adorned with a griffin and with her hair in a pony-tailed tied at the end; behind her neck, Θ. Rev. YEΛΗΤΩΝ Lion walking to right; below, Θ. HN III 1284. Williams 261. With an obverse of remarkably fine style and an elegant reverse; very attractively toned and beautifully centered on a broad flan. With much flatness from a striking fault on the obverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
From the collection of Dr. W.F. Stoecklin, Amriswil, Switzerland, acquired from Dr. Nussbaum in Zürich prior to 1966.
The obverse of this coin is marred by striking fault, probably caused by an imperfectly flattened flan; this ought to have precluded it from being in a sale like this one. However, the beauty of the dies and the elegance of its centering are such that we could not resist putting it in!