Bruttium. Terina. Circa 425–420 BC. AR Nomos

Bruttium. Terina. Circa 425–420 BC. AR Nomos (21 mm, 7.35 g). Obv. Head of the nymph Terina right, wearing necklace; behind, Φ; all within a laurel wreath. Rev. [ΤΕΡΙΝΑΙΩΝ]. Nike seated left on cippus, wearing chiton and himation, holding kerykeion. Refs: Holloway–Jenkins 40; Regling 35; HN Italy 2595. A very rare and elegant issue from the city of Terina, a colony of Croton situated on the Tyrrhenian coast of Bruttium. The obverse features the head of the local nymph, Terina, who personified the city itself and whose serene beauty became a hallmark of its coinage. The reverse depicts Nike, seated and holding the herald’s staff (kerykeion), a symbol of peace and reconciliation. This choice of imagery may have been intended to underline both the city’s aspiration to prosperity and its autonomy amid the rivalries of Magna Graecia. The appearance of the laurel wreath framing the obverse portrait is an uncommon and highly attractive feature, underscoring the engraver’s skill and the artistry for which Terina’s issues are celebrated. These staters and drachms of the late 5th century BC rank among the most graceful of South Italian coinages, their fine style rivalling that of better-known mints such as Thurium or Metapontum. Condition: Light iridescent toning, minor porosity, but sharply struck on a broad flan. Good Very Fine / About Extremely Fine. Very Rare. Provenance: Ex Lanz 135 (26 November 2007), lot 51; Harlan J. Berk – Gemini VIII (14 April 2011), lot 8.