A celebration of the coinage of ancient Sicily

I just remembered what the beautiful horse head tetradrachms belonging to @TIF and @Al Kowsky remind me of.

Prince Valiant

 

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Now that this thread has left the original litra, I'll ask if any of our high end collectors have any of the common Syracuse tetradrachms like my two below but in high grade. These were made over a long period in many really great styles. The later ones are considered finer style but are not always well struck or centered. Nice ones are not cheap. By my standards, neither are ones like mine. They belong on want lists!
Syracuse AR tetradrachm
485-478 BC 17.0g


439-420 BC 16.7g Boehringer 703 (v345/r481) reverse die failure at upper left!

 

Never go up against a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line!

Here's that one that was caked in BD until I followed some suggestions from a few CT pals.

And a few new friends...


SICILYKAMARINA
ONKIA
GORGONEION OWL
LIZARD EULE LIZARD
BRONZE AE

Sicily, Tetras, Syracuse
SecondDemocracy(466-
405) c. 425 BC, AE (g 1,1";
mm 11; h 4), ΣYPA, head of
nymphArethusa r., wearing
necklace and hair loosely
gathered at the top of her
head; at sides, two dolphins.
Linear border, Rv. Octopus;
around, three pellets. CNS II,
n. 1; SNG Copenhagen
653;"SNG ANS 376ff.

Sicily, Syracuse
Æ Hemilitron. Dionysios I,
circa 405-375 BC. Head of
Arethusaright / Star of
sixteen rays at centre of
quartered incuse. CNS II, 18;
SNG ANS 394-397; HGC 2,
1481. 5.19g,

Sicily, Gela
420-405 BCE.
Tetras AE
19mm., 3,5g.
Bull standing left; three
pellets in exergue / Head of
river-god Gelas, barley corn
behind.

 

Congrats

I like Sicilian coins too - here are a few:


Gold hemidrachm, Syracuse SNG ANS 493 - 2.1g, 12mm


Tudeer 82 tetradrachm, Syracuse. This was my favourite coin for a long time, maybe it still is - the photo' does Arethusa no favours.


A later Syracuse tetradrachm, from time of Agathokles.


Syracuse Cathedral, which began life as the Temple of Athena in 5th century BC, making it the only (?) ancient Greek temple still in use as a place of worship - note the Doric columns embedded in the wall to the left.

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Beautiful entry @Sallent and from what others have shown, I believe Sicily is unbeatable

Syracuse Agathokles 317-289 BC
SYPAKOSYWN. Head of Kore left
Bull butting left, two dolphins and linked VA in field
6.0 gr, 20 mm
Ref : Sear #1195 var



Syracuse Hiketas 288-279 BC
Head of Zeus hellanios right
ΣΙΡΑΚ ΟΣΙΩΝ. Eagle left, wings open, star and A in field
8.95 gr, 23 mm
Ref : Sear # 1212

Q

 

I recently consigned this hemidrachm to CNG. Initialed by master engraver Euainetos or Euarchidas. I regret everything.


SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Hemidrachm or Litra (16mm, 1.54 g, 5h). Obverse die signed by the artist E– (Euarchidas or Euainetos?). Struck circa 405-400 BC. Charioteer driving fast quadriga right; above, Nike flying left, crowning charioteer; in exergue, E between two dolphins confronted / Head of Arethousa left, hair in sphendone; two dolphins around. Boehringer, Münzprägungen, pl. II, 18 (Litra, Dionysios I); HGC 2, 1367 (hemidrachm, Second Democracy). Good VF, toned, irregular flan, a little off center on obverse. Rare.

 

This is a fabulous coin. I must have somehow missed it when it sold in May... did you buy it and re-consign it or was that your sale in Auction 108?

 

These are indeed very hard to find nice. I'm still waiting for the "right" one but have owned these two:

I sold this one in favor of finding one with a better struck rider... I'm still waiting and admittedly probably shouldn't have sold it but I had a few hefty purchases coming up.


This one I bought on a whim because it felt inexpensive and the obverse detail was superb. However, there are flat spots on the reverse (which aren't as apparent in my picture) and they really became horribly distracting in person so I ended up selling it.

 

Purchased November 2017. I consigned it to 108. Didn't attract as much attention as I thought it would; hence the regret.

 

I would have kept that obverse if the reverse were missing.

 

I agree. It's one of those times that I wish I knew how to operate a laser lathe... although collectors seem to frown upon sandwiched tetradrachms. It would, at least, make future die studies confusing!

 

Great coins!

 

So, we've all posted our lovely Sicilian coins. Now the question: WHY is Sicily such a hotspot for great coins? Discuss.

 

Probably due to how important Sicily was commercially in the ancient world. Syracuse alone was the largest city in antiquity (until Rome surpassed it), and Sicily was a key trade hub for Carthagenian/Greek trade.

When you're such an important and large commercial hub, as Sicily was, you know your coins are going to travel all over the Mediterranean. They are a visible and recognizeable propaganda tool, therefore it is a matter of great pride and prestige that your coins be extremely high quality, attractive, and interesting. Not to mention that if the coins are going to be acceptable for international commerce, it is vital that they be instantly recognizeable to traders from overseas (hence some of the interesting theme choices such as crabs, rabbits, octopus, dolphins, etc.)

 

Yeah, those are terrible. You should have sent them to me for proper disposal.

 

Good start! Sicily was an important commercial hub for two reasons: location and grain production. Siciliy's fertile soil made it a significant grain producer (Note: Romans used grain ears to identify coins of Sicilian mintage). Its location made it a natural trading hub and strategically key to the naval-based powers of the ancient Mediterranean. Keep in mind these early navies didn't like to sail too far in open seas - they preferred to be within sight of land - making Sicily a perfect stopping point between Africa, Spain and points North or East. The combination of strategic location and grain/trade made Sicily the target of invasion for millennia. Coinage is a natural by-product of all this. Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine etc. The Greek, Carthaginian and Roman coins were often struck on the island near the same time, during these periods of intense conflict for control of the eastern Mediterranean

 

A recent acquisition. It has some imperfections (which made it affordable) but has an agreeable portrait of Arethusa.








Description:

Sicily, Syracuse AR Dekadrachm. Time of Dionysios I, circa 405-370 BC. Unsigned dies in the style of Euainetos. Charioteer driving galloping quadriga to left, holding kentron in right hand, reins in left; above, Nike flies to right, a wreath in her outstretched arms to crown the charioteer; in the exergue, a panoply of arms is set on two steps: a cuirass, two greaves, and a Phrygian helmet / Head of the nymph Arethusa to left, wearing a reed wreath, triple-pendant earring, and a pearl necklace; [ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ] behind, pellet below chin, star of four points behind neck, and four dolphins around. Gallatin XXII-JVIIA; Dewing 923. 40.90g, 34mm,

 

For most of us, it is hard to imagine a dekadrachm we would not be thrilled to own. I would be interested in hearing what imperfections you find troublesome here. The only ones I find unfortunate are the charioteer being off flan and lost ethnic but I wonder if the texture is from the coin or from the lighting on the photo. I would call the style of the Arathusa a good deal better than 'agreeable'. Congratulations.

 

Thank you, dougsmit. "agreeable" is British understatement I'm afraid ! - actually, I am extremely pleased with a coin of a denomination that I wasn't sure I would ever own.
As to your question, the other imperfection, in addition to those you have already noticed, is a little fairly minor roughness -
this mainly affects the dolphin opposite and slightly above Arathusa's nose. My photos need to improve - its better in hand than it looks.