THESSALY, Krannon
AE Dichalkon. 4.01g, 18.3mm
MINTED: THESSALY, Krannon, circa 350-300 BC
REF: Rogers 183, fig. 76 corr. (ethnic; same dies); BCD Thessaly II 117.9 var. (ethnic); HGC 4, 384
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Poseidon (or Zeus) right.
REVERSE: KPA-N-NΩNI, warrior on horse rearing right.
 
Provenance:
Ex BCD Collection
The BCD Collection was possibly the largest and most important private collection of Greek coinage ever assembled.  Over the course of five decades, the collector, known publicly by the initials BCD, acquired over 50,000 coins representing the major cities and regions of ancient Greece.  An accomplished numismatist, BCD studied not just the historical context but also the art and chronology of the coins, with some of the results of these studies eventually finding their way into the notes he provided for the catalogues of the sale of his coins.  Many of these published catalogues are now used as the standard references for the regions they cover.  A provenance to the BCD Collection is one of the most desirable that a Greek coin can possess.

Notes:
Attractive dark brown patina with an elegant portrait in fine style. 
 
Historical Notes:
Thessaly in central Greece was a region of fertile, grassy plains ringed by mountains, with Mount Olympus serving as a backdrop.  Unlike other Greek regions which tended to cultivate primarily olives and grapes, Thessaly was best known for its magnificent horses, cattle, agriculture, and sports such as bull-wrestling.  The city of Krannon prospered primarily from sheep and cattle rearing, and was also famous for a rain-making device that was depicted on some of its coins, consisting of a sacred hydria (water jar) that was pulled about in a wheeled cart while prayers were made to Apollo.