The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

CHRONOLOGY OF THE COINS OF CHIOS. 243being above the average of drachms struck at thistime. But there can be no doubt, I think, as to thelateness of the issues. Their style alone declares it[PI. IX. ?].The Sphinx is uglier and worse drawnthan on any'coin yet examined, though the relief ishigher than in most of these late issues. The amphora,too, is of a very late type, though without a andlip,the wreath is a degraded form of vine-wreath. Theabsence of symbols also seems to be a sign of the times,in spite of there being apparently only one specimenextant of each of these issues. Even allowing for thefact that certain issues were constantly being madewithout a symbol, as in type No. 61 with AffEAIZKoZ,No. 63 with AAKIMAXoZ, No. 66 a with ANAPH-NAZ &c., it seems highly improbable 'that we shouldbe confronted here with a whole series of exceptions,extended moreover to the contemporary bronze coinageas well. It really looks as if we were in the presenceof some change in the administration of the mint.The prow has temporarily disappeared from the obverse,and the bunch of grapes once more remains withouta rival, though only for a while.There is nothing particular to remark about thenames. The restoration [TTJATAIKIHN seems obvious,for, in addition to being a well-known Greek name ofwide distribution, it has actually been recorded at118Chios on a local inscription.The most remarkable feature of the groupis itslettering, which is quite consistent throughout. Theletters are carelessly formed and smaller than is usualat this time, and in some ways theylook earlier than118Collitz and Bechtel, loc. cit., No. 5679.