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Stater Olynthos
| Issuer | Chalkidean League |
|---|---|
| Year | 365 BC - 348 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Drachm |
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| Obverse description | Laureate head of Apollo facing right, rendered in fine archaic-to-classical transitional style. The youthful, idealized effigy displays carefully engraved flowing hair bound with a laurel wreath, with locks falling behind the neck. The facial features are refined, with a straight nose, slightly parted lips, and a well-defined jawline characteristic of high-quality Chalkidean League coinage. The portrait fills the flan with commanding presence, set against a plain, unadorned field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A kithara (lyre) depicted facing, with detailed strings and a rounded sound box, centrally positioned in the field. The instrument is shown with two upright arms joined by a crossbar, with decorative volutes at the base and a small star or rosette below. The ethnic legend ΧΑΛΚΙΔΕΩΝ is inscribed around the periphery in Greek characters, reading partially on the left and right sides of the field. The design is bold and symmetrical, reflecting the civic pride and cultural associations of Apollo's sacred instrument as the emblem of the Chalkidean League. |
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| Additional information |
The Chalkidian League's gold stater issues fall within the final decade of the confederacy's existence — Olynthos, its dominant city, was razed by Philip II of Macedon in 348 BC after a siege that ended with the population sold into slavery. The league had earlier been dissolved by Sparta in 379 BC and subsequently reconstituted, which makes the precise attribution of gold issues within the 365–348 window a matter of ongoing scholarly debate.
Gold coinage from the league is exceptionally rare. The SNG ANS reference covers only two specimens.