Islands off Thrace, Thasos Stater Circa 480-463 BC

Obverse

A nude, ithyphallic (excited) satyr (or silenos, a follower of Dionysus) carries a protesting nymph in his arms as he runs/kneels to the right. The nymph raises her hand in protest. This motif refers to the cult of Dionysus on Thasos, where wine production and orgiastic rituals were central—satyrs and nymphs symbolize fertility and ecstasy. The figures' poses often form a kind of swastika-like pattern (an ancient symbol of good luck in the Greek world).
The A is a control mark or magistrate's mark (mark of a mint master or issue series). Early Thasos staters sometimes feature single Greek letters (such as A, Λ, Θ, Σ) in the incuse squares to identify a specific issue or official. It is not an inscription like a city name, but a practical mark to distinguish series.

Reverse.

A quadripartite incuse square (a four-part indented square, a typical archaic feature without an image).

Very Fine (VF)