An Extraordinary Reverse

1,800

Sicily, Syracuse AR Drachm. Time of Dionysios I, circa 405-400 BC. Unsigned dies in the style of Eukleidas. Head of Athena facing three-quarters to left, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet; on either side, two dolphins snout to snout; [ΣΥΡΑΚ]ΟΣΙΩ[Ν] around / Naked Leukaspis advancing to right, wearing crested helmet, holding spear in right hand and oval shield in left; sword suspended by strap over right shoulder; square altar ornamented with garland in background left, and to right, forepart of slain ram on its back; ΣΥΡΑΚ[ΟΣΙΩΝ] around, [ΛΕ]ΥΚΑΣΠΙΣ in exergue. Boehringer, Essays Thompson pl. 38, 6; SNG ANS 309-10; Boston MFA 420; HGC 2, 1364. 4.29g, 18mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine; obv. somewhat rough, but with an extraordinarily well preserved reverse - rare thus. From a private European collection.

900

Sicily, Syracuse AR Drachm. Time of Dionysios I, circa 405-400 BC. Unsigned dies in the style of Eukleidas. Head of Athena facing three-quarters to left, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet; on either side, two dolphins snout to snout; [ΣΥΡΑΚ]ΟΣΙΩ[Ν] around / Naked Leukaspis advancing to right, wearing crested helmet, holding spear in right hand and oval shield in left; sword suspended by strap over right shoulder; square altar ornamented with garland in background left, and to right, forepart of slain ram on its back; [ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣ]ΙΩΝ around, [ΛΕ]ΥΚΑΣΠ[ΙΣ] in exergue. Boehringer, Essays Thompson pl. 38, 6 (same rev. die); SNG ANS 309-10; Boston MFA 420; HGC 2, 1364. 3.50g, 18mm, 12h.

Very Fine; old cleaning marks, subtle hints of blue iridescence around devices.

From the JTB Numismatic Collection - collector’s ticket included; Ex Pythagoras Collection, Classical Numismatic Group, Triton XXV, 11 January 2022, lot 5023.

99.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Stater. Time of Timoleon and the Third Democracy, circa 343-317 BC. Pegasos flying to left / Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet; ΣYΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ before. Pegasi 1; SNG Copenhagen 711-2; SNG ANS 494-5; HGC 2, 1400. 8.56g, 21mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; attractive old cabinet tone.

Acquired from Classical Numismatic Group; Ex Bertolami Fine Arts - ACR Auctions, Auction 12, 29 October 2014, lot 210.

100.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Stater. Time of Timoleon and the Third Democracy, circa 343-317 BC. Pegasos flying to left / Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet; ΣYPAKOΣIΩN before. Pegasi 1; SNG Copenhagen 711-2; SNG ANS 507; HGC 2, 1400. 8.61g, 20mm, 8h.

Good Extremely Fine; rev. die rust, stunning underlying lustre and iridescence around devices and a marvellous portrait.

From the Arethusa Collection; Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction VIII, 28 September 2014, lot 117.

Ex ‘Outstanding Collection’ of Viscount Wimborne

1,650

900

101.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Diobol. Time of Timoleon and the Third Democracy, 343-317 BC. Attic standard. Head of Athena facing slightly to left, wearing triple crested helmet and pearl necklace / Nude youth on horseback to right; star in upper left field. Triton XVIII, 395; Nanteuil 372 = Sambon, March 1923 (Picard), 330 = Sambon & Canessa, December 1907 (de Ciccio), 391; M. Ratto, May 1935, 205; HGC 2, -; otherwise unpublished. 1.37g, 13mm, 12h.

Good Extremely Fine; attractive cabinet tone. Extremely Rare; one of apparently just five known examples. Ex Kleinkunst Collection;

Ex collection of Viscount Wimborne (‘Outstanding Collection’), Leu Numismatik AG, Auction 81, 16 May 2001, lot 114 (ticket included); Ex Bank Leu AG, Auction 2, 25 April 1972, lot 118.

A Miniature Gem

1,500

102.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Dilitron. Time of Timoleon and the Third Democracy, circa 343-317 BC. ΣYPΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ, laureate janiform female head; dolphin in right field / Horse galloping to right, sun above. SNG ANS 1183 corr. (direction of horse); HGC 2, 1374 var. (direction of horse). 1.11g, 12mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; wonderful old cabinet tone and in magnificent condition for the type. Extremely Rare; seemingly no other examples of this variety present on CoinArchives.

Acquired from Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger.

This issue is lighter than the typical circa 1.5 gram standard, and is similar in weight to the example in SNG ANS (1.02g). It has previously been described as a trihemilitron, but to have issued a distinct denomination of such similar weight and types seems counterintuitive.

1,050

103.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Tetradrachm. Time of Agathokles, circa 310-305 BC. Wreathed head of Arethusa to left, wearing triple-pendent earring and necklace; three dolphins around, NK below neck / Charioteer driving quadriga to left; triskeles above, ΣYPAKOΣIΩN above monogram in exergue. Ierardi 1 (O1/R1); SNG ANS 633-4; SNG Lloyd 1476; HGC 2, 1348. 17.16g, 26mm, 12h.

About Extremely Fine.

From a private European collection.

A Very Rare Variety

1,500

104.

Sicily, Syracuse AR Sixteen Litrae. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, circa 216-215 BC. Diademed and veiled head of Philistis to left; arrow head in right field / Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins; ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ and MI above, [ΦΙ]ΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ in exergue. Burnett, Enna -; SNG ANS -; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC 566; HGC 2, 1556. 13.60g, 27mm, 1h.

Good Extremely Fine; almost invisible contact mark on rev., attractive old cabinet tone. A very rare variety.

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 64, 17 May 2012, lot 748; Ex Jean Elsen & ses Fils S.A., Auction 59, 18 September 1999, lot 52.

1,500

105.

Sicily, Syracuse AR 12 Litrai. Time of the Fifth Democracy, circa 214-212 BC. Head of Athena to left, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with coiled serpent on bowl / Artemis standing to left, discharging arrow from bow, hound running to left at her feet; ΣYPAKOΣIΩN to right, ΞA to left. Burnett, Enna Hoard D21 (dies 8/n); McClean 2957 (same dies); SNG ANS 1040; HGC 2, 1412. 10.23g, 26mm, 9h.

Good Extremely Fine; stunning old cabinet tone with iridescent highlights.

Acquired from Baldwin’s Auctions Ltd.

Kings Of Illyria

106.

2,400

Kings of Illyria, Monounios AR Stater. Dyrrhachion, circa 305-275 BC. Cow standing to right, looking back at suckling calf standing to left below; jawbone of boar above / Double stellate pattern divided by line within double square linear border, ΒΑCIΛEΩC MONOYNIOY on two sides, Δ-YP above and below. Gjongecaj emission 3, 170-5; Paškvan 2c; Maier 88; Meadows, CH (forthcoming) 202 (this coin); HGC 3.1, 68 var. (position of ethnic). 10.35g, 20mm, 4h.

Good Very Fine.

Epeiros

Ex Gorny & Mosch 2005

Epeiros, Epeirote Republic AR Drachm. Circa 198-168 BC. Head of Zeus Dodonaeus to right, wearing oak wreath; monogram behind / Eagle with closed wings standing to right on thunderbolt; ΑΠΕΙ-ΡΩΤΑΝ around; all within oak wreath. Franke, Epeiros 69 (V28/R47); BMC 24; SNG Copenhagen 114; HGC 3.1, 171. 4.92g, 21mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; minor flan crack at 4h, superb old cabinet tone with attractive iridescence. Very rare.

Ex collection of Sheik Saud al Thani, Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 126, 17 November 2021, lot 155; Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction II, 2 October 2011, lot 156 (hammer: GBP 4,800); Ex Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung 138, 7 March 2005, lot 64.

108.

Akarnania, Leukas AR Stater. Circa 320-280 BC. Pegasos flying to left; Λ below / Head of Athena to left, wearing Corinthian helmet; Λ and stylis behind. Pegasi 132; BCD Akarnania 269; HGC 4, 825. 8.49g, 23mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine; well-centred and struck, with excellent detail to rev.

From a private European collection.

Thessaly

Thessaly, Larissa AR Drachm. Circa 479-460 BC. Horse grazing to left, with head lowered; above, cicada to left / Sandal of Jason to left, double axe above, [Λ]ARISAI[ON] around from lower left; all within incuse square. BCD Thessaly I 1095 = Jameson 2467 (same dies); BCD Thessaly II 129; BMC 1 = Traité I, 1411, pl. XLIII, 2; HGC 4, 393. 5.80g, 17mm, 3h.

Good Very Fine. Very Rare.

From the JTB Numismatic Collection; Acquired from Nomos AG.

Published in Hoover, 2014

Thessaly, Perrhaiboi AR Hemidrachm. Circa mid 5th century BC. Male figure holding bull leaping to right / Forepart of bridled horse to left; ΠΕRA retrograde around; all within incuse square. BCD Thessaly II, 540 = HGC 4, 138 (this coin). 2.74g, 14mm, 1h.

Near Very Fine; porous surfaces.

This coin published in O. D. Hoover, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, Volume 4: The Handbook of Coins of Northern and Central Greece (Lancaster PA, 2014);

From the EJP Collection; Ex BCD Collection, Classical Numismatic Group, Triton XV, 3 January 2012, lot 540.

112.