Sicily, Kamarina: � tetras, 420-410 BC, 3.31gm, 14.5mm.� Obv: Head of Pallas Athena left, in crested Athenian helmet ornamented with wing.� Rev: KAMA; owl standing left, head facing, holding lizard in right claw; three pellets in exergue.� Westermark/Jenkins 198; BMC 40.� gVF
Alternate spelling: Camarina
One of our consignors, a prolific writer on ancient history, contributed the following information about this type: "The first extensive bronze coinages of the Greek world were issued by cities in silver-less Italy and Sicily.� The earliest may have been at Thurii, southern Italy, in about 440BC (Rutter 1997: 66).� In Sicily, the first bronze pieces, at Akragas, were not coins at all, but cast three-uncia bronze cones (ca. 430).� Himera issued cast bronze coins, before their struck bronzes appear shortly after 420 (Rutter 1997: 142).� The Kamarina tetras is part of this early historical trend towards bronze coins, which emerged as substitutes for scarce silver coins, and filled a practical need in urban economies for coins of low denomination."