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Banner Artemide LVII
Excessively Rare and Intriguing Pallanum Type
Lot # 57
Greek Italy. Eastern Italy, Pallanum or Paeligni (?). AE 15 mm. 3rd-2nd century BC. Obv. PAL - A - C - INV. Facing winged snake head-dress, with ties below (or winged head of Medusa facing, mouth wide open, two serpents around her neck). Rev. Unbearded head of Vulcan right, wearing pileus, tongs on shoulder. HN Italy 631 (snake head-dress); SNG BN (Pallanum) 325; HGC 1 523; Campana C.N.A.I. (Pallanum)1 (Medusa facing); Pansa (Paeligni)1 and 3; SNG Milan II, p.88 (Pallanum) 22; Garrucci tav.LXXXII, (Pallanum) 28. AE. 3.84 g. 15.00 mm. RRRR. Of the greatest rarity, the fourth known example (SNG Milano 22 ; SNG Paris 325; Private collection = ex coll. Borghesi) and the second in private hands . A superb coin, sharply struck on a slightly irregular and compact flan. Obverse a little off centre, lovely reddish brown surfaces with dark spots. Good VF. The attribution of these rare coins to the Peligni by G. Pansa ('Le monete dei Peligni', RIN 19 (1906), pp.159-78) is based partly on the form of the legend and partly on the obverse types, thought to be a reference to snakes venerated by the Marsi and Paeligni. L. Sambon ('Recherche', pp. 64-5) suggested an attribution to the mythical Palatium near Reate (...). The coinage has also been attributed to Pallanum (D.Priori ,'Le monete di Pallano...', BCNN 47, 1962, pp.3-8). None of the arguments is plausible, and the pieces may indeed be Roman semunciae of the late second century BC. (HN Italy, p.75).