Mende
Tetradrachm circa 450-425, AR 17.00 g. Elderly Dionysus, wearing ivy wreath and himation, reclining on mule’s back l., holding cantharus with r. hand and resting l. on the animal's side; in exergue, grasshopper with distended abdomen. Rev. ΜΕΝ – ΔΑ – ΙΟ – Ν around linear square containing a circular disk on which is a sixteen-rayed star, flanked by four grape clusters in the corners; all within incuse square. Babelon, RN 1922, pl. V, 11 (these dies). Gillet 764 (this reverse die). Gulbenkian 413 (these dies). SNG ANS 348 (these dies). Noe, Mende 86 (this coin illustrated).
A very rare variety of a rare type. Light old cabinet tone, minor areas of
porosity, otherwise good very fine / about extremely fine

Ex Hess, 254, 1983, 156; NFA XXII, 1989, 253 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 280 sales. From the Kaliandra hoard of 1913.
Mende excelled in the wine trade, rivalling Thasos, Maronea, Naxos, Lesbos and Chios. The ancient authorities Cratippus, Athenaeus, Menander, Hermippus of Smyrna and Demosthenes all speak of the quality and fame of Mende wine. Thus, it is not surprising that on its principal trade coin, the tetradrachm, Mende would choose a design that celebrated wine production. Indeed, most coins of the city bear designs that refer to wine production or to the retinue of Dionysus, the god of wine. On this example we see an elderly Dionysus in luxurious repose on the back of an ass, clutching a cantharus of wine. As shown here, he usually relaxes with his left arm downward, but on occasion (Mende (Kaliandra) Hoard no. 65) he assumes an even more decadent pose with his left arm propped upon the head of the ass; on other examples the god’s identification is further secured by the fact that he holds a thrysus (Mende (Kaliandra) Hoard nos. 60, 61, 63). Hardly a more appropriate image exists of this god, famed for his wild indulgences and his appreciation for the fruit of the vine. Of great interest is the contrast between the god and the ass: the stiff, servile attitude of the mount contrasts sharply with the decadent, reclining figure of Dionysus. While the ass is focused and dedicated to his workaday task, with its well defined musculature taut, Dionysus appears unconcerned and soft in his physical form. In that sense we have two completely different works of art compressed into one scene. The contrast can hardly be accidental, and it must have provided the die engraver with the challenge of unifying these disparate elements into seamless coexistence.