The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

CROTON. 183
the earliest of the series. The eagle stands on. ail olive-
branch as on Croton coins of the fifth century, and
a border encloses the reverse type. But in any case
the reverse type and the distribution of the symbols
there are copied from the coin with the python and
corn-ear symbols. 2
It is here described last because it
is generally well known and universally accepted as
late. The monogram *]< on No. 7 brings that set into
close relation with No. 8. But the reverse die of 7 a
is combined with an obverse with the small Hermes
figure
in 3d. As this last coin reads 4> I on the
obverse, it involves, in turn, all the other coins which
read those letters (Nos. 1 and 2). Nos. 4 and 5 reading
and K are linked to the other groups by the
N I
occurrence of the letters, or by the Victory on the
reverse.
As these reasons may appear somewhat fortuitous,
and as it is necessary to establish the contemporary
character of these issues, I would again call attention
to the thunderbolt upon which the eagle stands in all
coins except those of set 8, and to a still more remark-
able link. These thirty coins are all the specimens of
the types which I have been able to collect from the
British Museum, Hunter, Ward, Warren, Leake, and
McClean collections, and from the Sale Catalogues of
the past thirty years. In six cases the weight was not
given. Of the remaining twenty-four, 3 g is the
highest in weight 104-.'2 grs. The coins seem to afford
positive proof that the reduced standard, whatever its
origin, was employed, at Croton.
2 It will be found below that there are some reasons for supposing
that the fourth-century Apollo head type was also copied
in the period to which I shall attribute the coins already described.