ARKADIA, Arkadian League. Mantinea. Circa 465-460 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 15 mm, 3.01 g, 6 h). Zeus Lykaios, seated left on low throne with footrest and with swan’s head at the top of the backrest, holding long scepter in his right hand and thunderbolt in his left; to left, eagle with spread wings flying to right. Rev. Head of Kallisto to right, her hair in a sakkos, wearing a simple necklace with a single pendant, and with a beaded neck truncation; all within an incuse square. BCD 1451 = Kunstfreund 29 = Williams, Confederate, Period II, 1, 104d ( same dies ). BMFA 1242 ( same dies ). Traeger 50. Very rare. A wonderful little coin, of a perfect late Archaic-early Classical style, with a beguiling head of the nymph. Lightly crystallised surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.

From a Swiss collection formed in the 1990s.

One of the most beautiful of all the hemidrachms struck by the Arkadian League! The Kunstfreund piece - struck from the same dies as this - was one of BCD's top favourite coins, and it is easy to see why. The present piece will be one of the great highlights of the collection of its new owner.