Syracuse
Decadrachm signed by Kimon circa 404-400, AR 42.50 g. Fast quadriga driven l. by charioteer, holding reins and kentron; in field above, Nike flying r. to crown him. On the exergual line, to the l., in minute letters, [KΙΜΩΝ]. In exergue, display of military harness set on two steps and beneath, ΑΘΛΑ. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩ Head of nymph Arethusa (Kore-Persephone) l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx, on which the signature K, and caught up behind by net. Around three dolphins, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation; on its body, the signature ΚΙΜΩΝ. Regling Syrakus 3. Rizzo pl. LII, 3 (these dies). SNG Lloyd 1409 (these dies). SNG Lockett 988 (thi coin). Gulbenkian 303 (these dies). Dewing 869 (these dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 42, 118 (this reverse die). AMB 479 (these dies). Mildenberg, Essays Kraay-Mørkholm, pl. XLIV, 6 (these dies). Jongkees 3n (this coin).
Very rare. A lovely specimen of this important and celebrated issue with the usual
die-break on the eye at a very early stage. Struck on a very broad flan and complete
and with a lovely old cabinet tone. Minor porosities and a graffito on the reverse
field and a corrosion on the edge, otherwise about extremely fine

Ex Glendining 28 October 1955, Lockett, 890; Glendining’s-Baldwin & Sons 10 December 1986, Olga H. Knoepke, 86 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 175 sales. From a hoard found near Catana in about the 1850’s and acquired by the American artist and archaeological student W. Arnold Buffum, who was living in Sicily at the time.