The Greek Thrace Apollonia Pontica AR Diobol from the mid to late 4th century BC is a notable ancient silver coin weighing around 1.18 to 1.3 grams and measuring close to 10-12 mm in diameter. The obverse typically features a laureate head of Apollo facing or the Gorgoneion (Medusa’s frontal head), while the reverse displays an upright anchor flanked by a crayfish and the letter “A.” These symbols reflect Apollonia Pontica’s maritime power and prosperity as a Greek colony on the Black Sea coast, emphasizing its reliance on trade and naval strength.

Apollonia Pontica was founded by Ionian Greeks from Miletos around 610 BC and flourished as a trading city. The coinage of the city demonstrates its cultural and economic wealth prior to its conquest by Philip II of Macedon around 342/1 BC. The silver diobols were minted to finance the city’s defense and assert its autonomy.

Examples in About Very Fine (AVF) to Very Fine (VF) condition generally sell in the $100 to $200 range depending on strike quality, patina, and provenance. The coin’s design is praised for its classical Greek artistry, the powerful apotropaic gorgoneion, and the realistic rendering of maritime symbols like the anchor and crayfish, which are among the earliest depictions of anchors in Greek art.