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Sale 46
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Lot 12
Sicily, Syracuse, c. 404-400 B.C. AR Decadrachm (43.25 g). Signed by Kimon, once on the obverse, and twice on the reverse. Charioteer, in long chiton, and holding goad and reins, in racing chariot to the left; above, Nike flies right to crown him; upper edge of exergual line, signed KIMON; in exergue, panoply of arms, in tiny letters at bottom AΘΛA. Reverse: Head of Arethusa left, hair bound in ampyx and sphendone, inscribed with signature K, also wearing necklace and pendant earring; around, four dolphins, with that below the neck being signed KIMON; ethnic at upper right. Basel 479; Gulbenkian 303; Jongkees 3; Kraay/Hirmer 118 (same obverse die, earlier state); Rizzo LII, 3; SNG Lloyd 1409. Usual light obverse die rust. The reverse finely centered and struck. Lightly toned, with the thin die break over the eye, diagnostic of this later die state. Extremely Rare. One of the great masterpieces of the die engraver's art for the Greek series. NGC graded About Uncirculated.
The military and political fortunes of the mercenary general, Dionysius, rose and solidified during the renewed imperialistic expansionism of Carthage against the Greek cities of Sicily, beginning in 409 BC. By the winter of 406-405 BC, Dionysius became tyrant and stregos of Syracuse, the premier city of Sicily. During his reign (405-367 B.C.), he fought three wars against the Carthaginians, handing them defeat after defeat, and confining the Carthaginians to their older territorial dominions in the western part of Sicily. This accomplished, Syracuse, with its rapidly increasing prestige and wealth, began its own program of territorial and political expansionism, eventually controlling in some form most of the "foot" of Italy. Under Dionysius, Syracuse became the most splendid and the best fortified of all Greek cities. Its naval power was vastly increased, likewise, until its fleet was the most powerful in the Mediterranean.
Emulating previous Sicilian tyrants of the earlier 5th century, who cut such grand figures for themselves in the arenas of culture, the pan-Hellenic games, or the arts, Dionysius introduced the large and ostentatious decadrachm denomination to Syracusan coinage, and entrusted the die production to two of the finest numismatic artists of the period. The decadrachms were produced in two series, one by Euainetos, and this, perhaps the finer of the two, by Kimon.
The above coin is one of the true masterpieces of Greek coinage. Interestingly, the conception of Arethusa changes over the period the dies were being produced. That on his first die was a pretty, young girl, displaying an air almost of innocence. This more mature rendering of Arethusa is Kimon's second type of the nymph, and she is indeed a woman of the world. Even so, the fact that Kimon signed the two dies a total of three times assuredly shows how proud he was of this creation. The like regard held for this coin in modern times is reflected in the fact that not one of the truly great collections of Greek coins lacks a specimen.
Estimated Value $60,000 - 70,000.
Illustrated in Money of the World, coin 17.
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| Realized $166,750 |
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