SNGLloyd 656

Italia, Magna Graecia, Bruttium, Lokroi Epizephyrioi (nowdays Locri).

Under Pyrrhos, King of Epeiros. Circa 280-278 BC.

AR Tetradrachm. 16.38 g

Head of Zeus left, in oak wreath; A below

ΠΥΡΡΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (BASILEWS PURROU), Dione seated left, holding scepter in right hand, raising veil with left.

SNG Lloyd 656 (same dies); Boston MFA 944 (same obverse die); SNG Lockett 1650 var. (no A); Pozzi 1287 var. (same).

note: flan crack.

CNG note: Pyrrhos was the last and greatest of the 'champions' to support the Hellenic cause in Italy. He had originally come to Italy at the request of Tarentum to help against the rising dominance of Rome. Pyrrhos' army won important battles but his losses were so high he was unable to keep his gains, thus the phrase 'Pyrrhic victory'.
This coin, considered a masterpiece of Hellenistic coinage, features a majestic head of the Dodonian Zeus on the obverse. On the reverse is Dione Naïa, Zeus' consort at Dodona.