Cyrenaica, Magas – Very Rare Gold Tetrobol – Certificate of Authenticity

Analysis & Expertise

Rare gold tetrobol from Cyrenaica, issued under Magas, King of Cyrenaica circa 283-250 BC, weighing 2.98 g. The present example displays a striking visual presence, enhanced by the natural brilliance of the precious metal and by typically Cyrenaican iconography, combining the Hellenistic horseman with silphium, the major vegetal emblem of the region.

Obverse: young man wearing a chlamys, riding left on horseback, the petasus thrown back behind the neck; a star appears in the right field, the whole contained within a linear circle. The composition retains good legibility despite the softened reliefs characteristic of this type of small gold module. The horseman, well centred within the field, preserves its overall sense of movement, with a still expressive silhouette and an immediately identifiable scene.

Reverse: legend KURA around a silphium plant, accompanied in the right field by the monogram of Magas. The silphium powerfully occupies the centre of the reverse, with its upright stem, branching elements and upper umbel. This iconography is particularly significant for Cyrenaica: it refers to the emblematic plant of Cyrene, a rare and valuable resource deeply connected to the economic and symbolic identity of the region.

Surface condition: gold with a warm tone, reliefs partially softened but still clear on the principal elements, fields marked by fine lines and ancient traces consistent with the material life of an ancient coin. The flan, irregular around its edges, retains a balanced presence; the type remains clearly readable, with the two essential elements preserved: the horseman on the obverse and the silphium on the reverse. The full set of provided data — metal, weight, typology, legend, monogram and references — is consistent with a rare Cyrenaican issue of Magas.

Characteristics

Authority: Magas, King of Cyrenaica
Mint: Cyrenaica
Date: circa 283-250 BC
Denomination / metal: Tetrobol, AV, gold
Module / weight: module not provided; 2.98 g
Obverse: young man wearing a chlamys, riding left on horseback; petasus behind the neck; star in the right field; the whole within a linear circle
Reverse: KURA; silphium plant; monogram of Magas in the right field
References: BMC 48, 211; L. Naville, Les monnaies d’or de la Cyrénaïque, 1951, 69, 166
Rarity: very rare
Condition: gold example with legible reliefs, complete iconography, irregular flan, surfaces marked by fine ancient traces and wear consistent with a small-module Hellenistic coin

Historical Context

Magas occupies a distinctive place in Hellenistic history. Emerging from the Ptolemaic sphere, he established himself in Cyrenaica and gradually asserted the political autonomy of this strategic territory, positioned between Ptolemaic Egypt, the Greek Mediterranean world and the North African routes. His coinage reflects this particular situation: a strong local identity expressed through the political and artistic language of the Hellenistic period.

The choice of the horseman on the obverse evokes noble, dynamic and aristocratic imagery, while the silphium on the reverse immediately anchors the coin in the world of Cyrene. Silphium is not merely a decorative vegetal motif: it is one of the great symbols of ancient Cyrenaica, a sought-after and valuable plant associated with the economy, medicine, trade and the very renown of the region. On a small gold coin, its presence takes on a particularly refined dimension: in just a few millimetres, it condenses the entire identity of a kingdom.

Cultural Value

This coin brings together several criteria that make it a remarkable collector’s piece: gold, the rarity of the type, the authority of Magas, the iconography of silphium and its deep anchoring in the history of Hellenistic Cyrenaica. Its significance is not limited to its metallic value; it bears witness to a precise political moment, when Cyrenaica asserted its own identity within the Hellenistic world.

The silphium reverse is particularly appealing to the discerning collector, as it gives the coin an immediately recognisable identity. Few ancient coinages are so closely linked to a natural resource that has become almost mythical. The horseman, the star, the KURA legend and the monogram of Magas form an ensemble that is at once learned, rare and commercially highly attractive.

This gold tetrobol is therefore intended for a collector seeking an exceptional Greek coin, precious by virtue of its metal, rare through its issue, and deeply evocative through its iconography. It is an example capable of occupying a strong position within a collection devoted to the Hellenistic world, Cyrenaica, Greek gold coinages or emblematic vegetal types of Antiquity.

Traceability & Guarantees

Provenance: from established European collections.
Certificate of authenticity: provided with the example.
Sale: specialised international transaction conducted within a recognised numismatic network, carried out in strict compliance with applicable regulations and according to the professional practices of the numismatic market; each example is examined, described and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the standards of the art and heritage market.

Ref: N7OX04ZBQV