DESPRE CELE MAI TIMPURII MONEDE DE TIP APOLLO EMISE LA ISTROS (SEC. AL IV-LEA A.CHR)
ABOUT THE EARLIEST APOLLO TYPE COINS ISSUED AT ISTROS (4TH CENTURY BC)

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with several aspects related to the group of Istrian bronze coin issues named Apollo-Fedeşti, known primarily due to the hoard discovered in Fedeşti village, Şuletea commune, Vaslui County. They were struck according to a weight standard of about 4.00 grams and show one of the first nine letters of the Greek alphabet (A-I) on the reverse, in the right field or beneath the dolphin. Pieces without letters or with ΔI in the field are registered, too. If the other symbols have the role of ordering the series, ΔI can be taken as a value mark. In this respect, comparisons have been made with bronze coins issued at Apollonia Pontica and Istrian pieces of the river-god Istros type with the letter Γ on the reverse.The marking system and the engraving style of the Apollo-Fedeşti type bronze coins are also found in the first few series of silver coins of Istros from Group IV. Moreover, a reverse die used first for the B series of silver coins, re-engraved and used again for the H series of Apollo-Fedeşti type coins has been identified.Most likely, the Apollo-Fedeşti type bronze coins were produced alternately with the first issues of silver coins from Group IV between c. 339 - 330 BC. These generally followed the same directions of circulation, north and north-east, like the Istrian silver coins from the first three groups of issues and the cast wheel coins. The role of the Apollo-Fedeşti type bronze coins was to replace the smallest silver denomination, the obols, produced at Istros in many variants for almost a century.

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