The Prospero Collection - Part 12 - Baldwin's

A Diskobolos in the Act of Hurling His Disc
One of the Greatest Types of the Ancient Greek Series
554 Carian Islands, Kos (c.480-475 B.C.), Triple Siglos, 16.58g, . KΩΣ, naked Diskobolos about to hurl
a discus, he stands facing with his weight on his right leg, his left leg crossing behind, while he turns
his upper body to his right, preparing to launch the discus which he holds above his head, a tripod
stands behind him on the left side. Rev. Irregular incuse square with diagonal lines, below which are
the traces of a crab (J.P. Barron, ‘The Fifth-Century Diskoboloi of Kos’, in Essays to Robinson, p.
79, 9 (A7/P5), pl. 9; BMC 6; Babelon, Traité pl. CXLVIII, 11; Kraay – Hirmer pl. 188, 639). One of
the greatest types of the entire ancient Greek series, in exceptional condition, light iridescent tone,
good very fine and extremely rare. $ 40,000
Purchased privately in 1987
The sense of animation and energy portrayed on the obverse of this coin has been achieved through truly exceptional
and original die engraving talent. It is the most successful rendering of an athlete ever to appear on an ancient
Greek coin. The moment that the athlete has rotated his body back, clutching the discus above him, and just
reaching the point when he is about to fling himself forward and release the discus, has been superbly captured.
There has been some debate over the meaning of the tripod, which stands to the left of the athlete. Perhaps it is
the prize for the contest in which the athlete is taking part. It has been suggested that the coin refers to athletic
games held at Kos in honour of Apollo, and that the issue was struck in commemoration of the games. Another
theory suggests that the tripod could possibly indicate a reference to the festival of Apollo at Triopion, where the
winners of the athletic contests would be awarded bronze tripods. The games at this festival were organized by the
five cities of the Doric Pentapolis, namely Kamiros, Lindos, Ialysos, Knidos and Kos. Herodotus (I, 144) mentions
the prize in his Histories. As the other four cities taking part did not issue a ‘festival’ coinage, it is difficult to tie
the above coin in with the celebrations at Triopion for certain. The discussions relating to this fascinating type will
no doubt continue.