Taras, Calabria (Tarentum) Silver Litra (c. 470–450 BC) ☆☆ Female Nymph Satyra

Denomination: Litra

Cleaned/Uncleaned: Uncleaned

Historical Period: Greek (450 BC-100 AD)

Provenance: Ownership History Available

Composition: Silver

Year: 450 BC

Era: Ancient

Fineness: 0.9

KM Number: 90

Country of Origin: Italy

An authentic, highly detailed silver litra struck in the powerful Spartan colony of Taras (modern Taranto, Italy), located in ancient Calabria. Minted during the crucial transitional period between the Archaic and Classical eras, this scarce fractional issue beautifully bridges early geometric abstraction with refined human portraiture.

The obverse displays the iconic Tarentine scallop shell—a proud emblem of the city's maritime supremacy and lucrative purple-dye trade—while the reverse features a beautifully executed, early Classical style profile of a female nymph (sometimes identified as the local heroine or a personification of the city). For collectors of Magna Graecia, this issue offers a wonderful opportunity to own a premium, fully attributed piece of early Western Greek art.