Sicily
Syracuse. Circa 430 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 17.71 g, 11 h). Male charioteer, wearing a long chiton and holding a goad in his right hand and the reins in both, driving a walking quadriga to right; above, Nike flying right to crown the horses. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΟΝ Head of Arethusa to right, wearing a double spiral earring, a simple necklace, and with her hair bound in a sakkos ornamented with a maeander-patterned band over her forehead; before Arethusa’s head, two dolphins swimming upwards and one swimming downwards; behind her neck, dolphin swimming upwards. Boehringer 642 (V326/ R442). SNG ANS 207 (same dies). With a serenely elegant and sharply struck head of Arethusa of splendid Classical style. Struck on the usual tight flan, otherwise, extremely fine.
From the De La Tour Collection, Hess Divo 314, 4 May 2009, 1034, first acquired during the 1980s.
Price realized | 28'000 CHF |
Starting price | 16'000 CHF |
Estimate | 20'000 CHF |