SICILY. Messana. 420-413 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 28 mm, 16.99 g, 1 h). ΜΕΣΣΑΝ-Α Biga of mules walking to left, driven by the Nymph Messana, standing left and holding goad in her right hand and reins in both; in exergue, two confronted dolphins. Rev. ΜΕΣ-Σ-ΑΝ-ΙΟ-Ν Hare springing to right; below, fly seen from above. Caltabiano 516. SNG ANS 373. An attractive, clear piece, toned and very well-centered. Some die rust on the obverse and a minor die break on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection, acquired prior to 2000.
The standard types of the coinage of Messana show a biga of mules, in honor of the Olympic victory won by the tyrant Anaxilas in the mule car races (a short-lived event in the Olympics) and a hare, an animal Anaxilas supposedly introduced to Sicily. The symbol on the reverse, a fly, is particularly realistic, once again testifying to how carefully Greek artists observed the natural world around them.