Gaul Massalia (350-150 BC) ~ AR Obol ~ NGC Extra Fine

GAUL. Massalia. Ca. 350-150 BC. AR obol (12mm, 10h). NGC XF. Bare head of Apollo left / M-A, ethnic within two spokes of a wheel. SNG Copenhagen 723-727 (Ca. 100-50 BC).

NGC CERT #: 6060965-001

NGC DESCRIPTION: c.350-150 BC GAUL, MASSALIA AR Obol

NGC GRADE: Extra Fine

ABOUT THE COIN:

In Classical Athens, obols were traded as silver coins.  Six obols made up the drachma.  There were also coins worth two obols ("diobol") and three obols ("triobol").  During this era, an obol purchased a kantharos and chous (3 liters or 6 pints) of wine.

Gaul was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans that was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes.  Gaul encompassed present day France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, particularly the west bank of the Rhine.  During the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, Gaul fell under Roman rule.  Roman control of Gaul lasted for five centuries, until the last Roman rump state, the Domain of Soissons, fell to the Franks in AD 486. 

ABOUT NGC:

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