★ An exceptional early Hellenistic bronze ★

SICILY. Messana. 317-311 BC. Litra (Bronze, 24 mm, 10.56 g, 9 h). ΜΕΣΣΑΝΙΩΝ Head of the nymph Messana to left, wearing hair-band, single pendant earring and pearl necklace. Rev. Charioteer, wearing long chiton and holding palm branch in his right hand and reins with his left, driving biga of mules to right; below exergual line to right, Δ. BMC 67. Caltabiano 804 (D9/R20). CNS I, 18. HGC 2, 831. SNG München 675-6. An exceptional early Hellenistic bronze, with a very attractive brown patina and a wonderful head of the nymph Messana. The obverse struck slightly off center and with light doubling and minor adjustment marks on the reverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From the M. Laffaille Collection, Münzen & Medaillen AG 76, 19 September 1991, 177, and from the collection of Comm. R. Cappelli, Sternberg & Apparuti XX, 20 April 1988, 312 ('Sammlung eines Diplomaten').