Silver triobol from Argos in Argolis, struck circa 490–460 BC, belonging to early archaic and early classical Greek coinage. The coinage of Argos is distinguished by its characteristic local iconography, closely tied to the identity of the city.
The obverse features a protome of a wolf facing left. The wolf serves as a symbol of Argos and is one of its most recognizable civic emblems, connected to local traditions and mythology.
The reverse shows a quadripartite incuse square containing the letter Α. This type of incuse reverse is typical of early Greek issues and originally served a technical function in the minting process. The letter Α directly refers to the name of Argos, acting as a simple yet clear identifying mark.
Greece
Argolida, Argos, Triobol 490–460 BC
Obverse: forepart of wolf to left
Reverse: quadripartite incuse square with alternating raised and sunken quarters, inside A letter
Diameter 12 mm, weight 2.83 g
