Lot 7
Sicily. Leontini, c. 430-425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.27 g). Laureate head of Apollo left. Reverse: Lion's head with open jaws to left, three barley grains about head, bay leaf behind; ethnic in field around. Rizzo pl. 24, 4 (same dies); SNG ANS 257 (same dies); Boehringer 55 (same dies). Deeply toned, and highly lustrous. NGC graded Uncirculated.
Before this hoard of virtually mint state tetradrachms of Leontini was unearthed, there were very few specimens which could come close to the freshness of the dies and high condition of the example here offered. The employment of the head of the lion is a punning allusion to the name of this city, which lies northwest of Syracuse. Some other cities which used a visual reminder of the city where issued would include Rhodes (rose - "rhodos" in Greek) and Phocaea (aquatic seal - "phoke"). This classification of coin design is termed "speaking type" or "type parlant." A fascinating array of Greek coins could be formed using just this focus.
Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500.
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| Realized $3,450 |
