VELIA SILVER NOMOS – SIGNED ISSUE OF CLEUDORUS EX WILLIAMS COLLECTION – NEAR VF GREEK LUCANIA PROVENANCED AND PUBLISHED COIN (Inv. 21182)

$3,000.00

21182. LUCANIA. VELIA. Ca. 334–300 BC.
Silver Nomos, 7.20 g, 20 mm.
Obv. Helmeted head of Athena facing, looking slightly left, KΛEYΔΩPOY on helmet. Rev. YEΛHTΩ[N], lion devouring prey left, EK monogram below tail.
HN Italy 1295; HGC 1, 1315.
Published: Williams, Velia, 334g (this coin listed).
Ex Williams Collection as noted in the monograph listing = Ex Glendining 11/24/1950 lot 1454.
Near VF, with the large die break characteristic of this reverse die, light gray patina and with the full engraver’s name preserved.

While the standard obverse type for Velian nomoi was a profile head of Athena, the highly artistic die engraver Cleudorus produced a remarkable facing image of the goddess in emulation of the famous Syracusan facing head of Athena engraved by Eucleidas at the end of the fifth century BC. Cleudorus means “Glorious Gift,” a Greek name eminently fitting for such a talented engraver.