Hephaistia, bronze coin — Torch (CN type 19911)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
c. 276/261–167 BC
Issuing entity
ThraceCoin in bronze struck at Hephaistia in Thrace, dated c. 276/261–167 BC. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 19911 (period: Hellenistic Period; issuing authority type: city).
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo, right. Reverse: Torch, between the two caps of the Dioscuri, each surmounted by star. Legend: ΗΦ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 5.25 g (mean of 3 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 17–19 mm (from 2 recorded specimens). Published references cited by the corpus: Poole, BMC. Catalogue of Greek coins: the Tauric Chersonese, Sarmatia, Dacia, Moesia, Thrace, &c., Bologna 1979, p. 213, nr. 8; Schwabacher, Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. Copenhagen. The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals. Danish National Museum. Part 7: Thrace 2: Odessus - Sestos. Islands. Kings and Dynasts 7, Copenhagen 1943, nr. 979; Hoover and Ashton, Handbook of Coins of the Islands: Adriatic, Ionian, Thracian, Aegean and Carpathian Seas (Excluding Crete and Cyprus): Sixth to First Centuries BC, Lancaster 2010, p. 60, nr. 285.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 5
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 3
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Hephaistia, also recorded as Hephaestia, was a town of Ancient Greece situated on the northern shore of Lemnos in the northern Aegean Sea. The settlement took its name in honour of Hephaistos, the Greek god of metallurgy whose cult was celebrated across the island, and served as its capital between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. This bronze piece reflects civic currency issued during the Hellenistic Period, dated to circa 276/261–167 BC.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Recorded diameter
- 17–19 mm (from 2 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 5.25 g (mean of 3 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Hephaistia
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- City
Design
- Obverse type
- Laureate head of Apollo, right.
- Reverse type
- Torch, between the two caps of the Dioscuri, each surmounted by star.
- Reverse legend
- ΗΦ
Identification
- Period
- Hellenistic Period
- How to identify
- Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
- Type corpus record
- https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/19911
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 19911
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Recorded
- Mint or printer
- Recorded
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Recorded
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographyp. 213, nr. 8
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 979
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographyp. 60, nr. 285
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution