Aeolis was an ancient Greek region on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor, opposite the island of Lesbos in modern-day Turkey.
It was settled around 1100–1000 BC by Greek migrants from Thessaly and Boeotia after the fall of the Mycenaean world. These settlers founded a group of twelve cities, including Kyme, Smyrna, Aigai, Elaia, and Gryneion, forming the Aeolian League. Kyme became the leading city, often called the “Mother of Aeolis.”
These cities minted their own coinage over a long span of time — from classical Greek times into the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
In the 6th century BC, Aeolis came under Persian control after the fall of Lydia, later joining Alexander the Great’s empire in the 4th century BC.
Under the Hellenistic kingdoms, Aeolis prospered culturally and economically, minting fine silver and bronze coinage.
The coinage from Aeolis includes various denominations: silver fractions (hemiobols, tetartemorions), silver larger units (drachms, tetradrachms), bronze/Æ (copper alloy) issues.
Tetradrachm ca. 155-143 BC Kyme Aeolis Silver, NGC AU
3,795.00 US$
Material: Silver
Weight: 16.44 g – Diameter: 32.00 mm
NGC certification number: 6601498-002
Strike: A
Mint Mark: AEOLIS, CYME
Obv: Head of the Amazon Kyme to the right, wearing a sphendone (headband) and a bun.
Rev: Horse prancing to the right, with bridle; between the legs, a one-handled vase; before, eagle standing right on a thunderbolt below the raised left foreleg, all within an olive wreath.
Graded NGC AU Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5. Herakleides, magistrate (Oakley 1982, Herakleides).
Struck on a broad toned flan.
Ex Harlan J. Berk, private sale with old dealer ticket. KYMAIΩN / HPAKΛEIΔHΣ
AR Tetradrachme AEOLIS, KYME – OLYMPIOC Magistrate – ca 165-140 BC XF
3,400.00 US$
Weight 16,61gr. | Silver Ø 31mm.
Grade: Wonderful coin of fine classical style, with an at | Abbreviations
Catalog: BMC 81 | SNG.Copenhagen- | SNG.von Aulock- | SNG. Delepierre- McClean- | J.H. Oakley, ‘The Autonomous Wreathed Tetradrachms of Kyme, Aeolis’,ANS MN 27, 1982, p.32, obverse die 53 | de Luynes 2524 | cf. Sear 4183
Obv. Head of Amazon Kyme right, hair bound with ribbon
Rev. Horse standing right, one-handled (Skyphos) vase below, KYMAIΩN to right, OΛYMPIOC in exergue, all within laurel-wreath.
Wonderful coin of fine classical style, with an attractive tone. Rare.
Greek circa 155-143 BC KYME (Aeolis) AR Tetradrachm. EF Magistrate
3,055.00 US$
Weight: 16,0 g – Diameter: 29 mm
Obv: Diademed head of the Amazon Kyme right.
Rev: Horse standing right, left foreleg raised, one-handled cup (emblem of Kyme) below, ΚYMAIΩN to right, MHTPOΦANHΣ in exergue; all within laurel-wreath.
Quality tetradrachm, in EF condition, conserving full details in both sides and very bold reliefs. We can remark the excellent obverse. Magistrate: Metrophanes.
Catalog: SNG von Aulock –, SNG Copenhagen 104. Kyme (Aeolis) mint, circa 155-143 BC.
Ancient Greek c. 155-145 BC Aeolis, Myrina. Tetradrachm
2,625.00 US$
Material: Silver
Weight: 16.13 g
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo r., with two locks of hair falling onto his neck.
Rev: ΜΥΡΙΝΑΙΩΝ Apollo of Gryneium standing r., wearing laurel wreath, with himation draped around his lower torso, bare from the waist up; in r. hand, patera, in l., branch with two fillets. At feet, omphalos and amphora (city symbol), monogram behind; all within laurel wreath.
Ex HJB 195 Buy or Bid Sale, lot 136.This is an excessively rare coin in exquisite condition. Some of the highest relief points of the hare and wreath are flatly struck because they did not reach the top of the die. A real numismatic treasure!. MS
CCG-MS62, Aeolis Myrina. Tetradrachm. 160-143 BC
2,525.00 US$
Weight: 16,58 gr. – Diameter: 35.00 mm.
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo to right.
Rev: MYPINAIΩN, Apollo standing right, patera in right hand,
filleted branch in raised left; omphalus and amphora at feet to right, ΠΑ monogram in left field, all in laurel wreath.
Certification : Classical Coin Grading (San Marino)
Serial no.: AB402495
Condition: MS62 (Mint State Uncirculated)
Ref : Copenhagen 221-223 var. (monograms). SNG Von Aulock 1660-1665 var. (same)
ca 160-143BC Aiolis Myrina AR Stephanophoric Tetradrachm EF
2,325.00 US$
Material: Silver
Weight: 16.56 g – Diameter: 35 mm.
Obv: laureate head of Apollo right
Rev: Apollo Grynios holding branch and phiale, omphalos and amphora at feet; monogram to left
Sacks, ANSMN Issue–
SNG Cop–
Rare with unlisted monogram!
GR13076
Aiolis Tetradrachm 155/ 143 BC Kyme Magistrate Kallias EF
2,135.00 US$
Obv: Head of the Amazon Cyme facing right.
Rev: Horse facing right in a laurel wreath.
Catalog: SNG Copenhagen 103, SNG von Aulock 1636. 16.46 g. Specimen from Auction Lanz 102, Munich 2001, No. 261.
Greek Asia Minor – Aeolis – Aegae – Tetradrachm (c. 160-150) – NGC XF
1,730.00 US$
Material: Silver
Weight: 16.42 g.
Catalog: SNG Von Aulock 1594 – SNG Berry 990 Dewing 2227
This tetradrachm belongs to the stephanophoric series, i.e. ” wreath bearer”, which were struck in a number of different mints – Aigai being one of the places that struck the fewest: only 4 obverse dies are listed in Ulla Westermark.
A tetradrachm from Aigai in Aiolis”, in Numismatic Messages Festskrift till Lars O. Lagerqvist, Stockholm 1989, pp. 471-475.
Aeolis AR Tetradrachm circa 188-170 BC Temnos XF
1,090.00 US$
Weight: 16.77 g. – Diameter: 34 mm.
Material: Silver
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.
Rev: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, PA monogram and E above oinochoë within vine tendril.
In the name and types of Alexander III (the Great) of Macedon.
Extremely Fine. Lovely brown patina. Pale scratches. Some deposit and a pale die break on reverse.
Price 1676.
Purchased from InAsta S.P.A., San Marino. Ex Roma Numismatics, London.
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