Ancients: Coins of Syracuse, Sicily Help

Now don't get me wrong I LOVE my Athenian Tetradrachms but after looking at a few of these bronze coins from Syracuse I cant deny their beauty. I do own 1 bronze coin from Syracuse but I'd like to know more. I know you guys are great with helping me with references and just getting info in general so anything you know about Greek coins from Syracuse, especially coins from BC would be greatly appreciated. I have heard the term "Litra" getting thrown around a lot but I dont know what that means.... You guys were great with helping me with my Tetradrachms from Athens research so I have faith . Thank you.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Forvm's Numiswiki has a nice page on denominations. Scroll down the page for Greek denominations; you will find a column for Sicily.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Denomination

As for coins of ancient Sicily, I agree with your opinion of their beauty My finest and favorite coin is from Syracuse.



SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles (317-289 BC)
310-305 BC
AR tetradrachm, 17.40 g, 24 mm
Obv: head of the nymph Arethusa left, wearing grain wreath, earring and necklace; around, three dolphins; under, monogram (NK?)
Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, fast chariot charioteer leads to left, holding reins and kentron; above, triskeles; in exergue, monogram
Ref: Ierardi 9; SNG Copenhagen 573 var., SNG ANS 637

For an overview of Syracuse coins, see Wildwinds: http://wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/syracuse/i.html

 

Coins from Syracuse (Sicily) were my first passion when I stumbled onto the ancient scene a few years ago ...

Sicily, Syracuse. Hieron I AR Tetradrachm (240 Onkia)
478-466 BC
Struck circa 478-475 BC
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 16.90 grams
Obverse: Charioteer driving quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses
Reverse: Diademed head of Arethusa right; four dolphins around
Reference: Boehringer series IXa, 190 (V86/R130); SNG ANS –; Randazzo 356 (same dies)
Other: 2h, Near VF, toned, test cut on reverse
From the Robert and Julius Diez Collection, Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Part I, J. Hirsch XV, 28 May 1906), lot 1132




Thanks for that cool link, TIF ...

=> I just discovered that a Tetradrachm = 240 Onkia

... I have appended my files to include the corresponding Onkia-value (cool)

 

Sicily, Syracuse: AR litra (12 Onkia)
466-460 BC
Diameter: 13.1 mm
Weight: 0.67 grams
Obverse: Pearl-diademed head of Arethusa right; ΣVPA before
Reverse: Octopus.
Reference: SNG Copenhagen 641; SNG ANS 137ff




SICILY, SYRACUSE: AE HEMILITRON (6 Onkia)
410-405 B.C.
Diameter: 16 mm
Weight: 3.4 grams
Obverse: ARETHUSA
Reverse: WHEEL OF FOUR SPOKES , DOLPHINS
Reference: sng ans 404

 

Sicily Syracuse AE Drachm (60 Onkia)
405-367 B.C.
Diameter: 28 mm
Weight: 27.2 grams
Obverse: Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet
Reverse: Sea-star between two dolphins


Sicily Syracuse AE Litra (12 Onkia)
circa 390 B.C.
Diameter: 20.3 mm
Weight: 7.1 grams
Obverse: Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet
Reverse: Bridled hippocamp left, trailing reins

 

Sicily, Syracuse Æ Hemilitron (6 Onkia)
357-344 BC
Diameter: 17.2 mm
Weight: 2.57 grams
Obverse: Female head left (Arethusa), with hair in sphendone, olive sprig behind
Reverse: Dolphin leaping right above scallop shell, ÓYPA below dolphin
Attribution: BMC 301
Other: Choice detail style and patina


Sicily, Syracuse Æ Hemidrachm (30 Onkia)
Timoleon and the Third Democracy
344-317 BC
Timoleontic Symmachy coinage. 1st series, circa 344-339/8 BC
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 16.94 grams
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus Eleutherios right
Reverse: Upright thunderbolt; to right, eagle standing right
Reference: Castrizio series I, 1γ; CNS 72; SNG ANS 477-88
Other: 9h, Good VF, red-brown patina, a few areas of roughness, some cleaning marks
From the Robert and Julius Diez Collection, Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Part I, J. Hirsch XV, 28 May 1906), lot 1227

 

Sicily, Syracuse: Agathokles Æ24
317-289 BC
Diameter: 23.9mm
Weight: 9.26gm
Obverse: Diademed head of the young Herakles left, ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ before
Reverse: The Nemean lion striding right, club above, ΣΩ in exergue
Reference: Calciati II, p290, 150, R1 7; c.f. SNG ANS 733ff
Other: gVF, superior portrait with sculpted features usually represented by simpler forms




Sicily, Syracuse AE23
317-295 B.C.
Diameter: 22 x 23 mm
Weight: 9.7 grams
Obverse: head of Kore-Persephone left, wreathed with grain
Reverse: bull butting left, dolphin and above, dolphin below
Reference: SNG ANS 561-571

 

SICILY. Syracuse, AE Hicetas
288-279 BC
Diameter: 22 mm
Weight: 8 grams
Obverse: Laureate head of young Zeus Hellanios left
Reverse: Eagle with spread wings standing left on thunderbolt. “A” in left field


SICILY. Syracuse, AE Pyrrhus
278-276 BC
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 10.6 grams
Obverse: Head of Heracles left, wearing lion skin
Reverse: CYPA-KOCIWN; Athena Promachos in archaic dress, walking right, holding shield and thunderbolt

 

... oh, and a few examples from other areas within Sicily ...

SICILY, Messana. AR Drachm (60 Onkia)
445-439 BC
Diameter: 18 mm
Weight: 3.59 grams
Obverse: Charioteer driving biga of mules right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses; olive leaf and berry in exergue
Reverse: Hare springing right within wreath, ΜΕΣΣΑ-ΝION
Reference: Caltabiano Series IX, 388 (D175/R168); HGC 2, 807; SNG Lloyd 1111; SNG Lockett 820; Boston MFA 288; Jameson 651; Pozzi 487; Rizzo pl. 27, 11 (all from the same dies)
Other: 10h … toned, rough surface, scratches, scuffs. Very Rare (R2)
From the Continental Collection




SICILY, Kainon. AE22
365-360 B.C.
Diameter: 22 mm
Weight: 11.1 grams
Obverse: Griffin (Gryphon) springing left over irregular ground (club?)
Reverse: Horse prancing left, trailing rein; below, KAINON
Reference: SNG ANS 1169

 

... and my favourite Sicily examples are these old AE Cast babies (these are amongst the oldest bronze coins) ...

SICILY, Akragas Æ Cast Onkia (1 Onkia)
Circa 450-440 BC
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 4.62 grams
Obverse: Eagle's head left
Reverse: Crab claw left
Reference: CNS 8; SNG ANS 1020




Sicily, Akragas Cast AE Trias (4 Onkia)
circa 450 BC
Diameter: 14 x 19 x 20 mm
Weight: 16.28 grams
Desc: Eagle standing left & crab on sides & four pellets on base
Reference: SNG ANS 1015-7; CNS 1






SICILY, Selinos Cast Æ Onkia (1 Onkia)
Circa 450-440 BC
Diameter: 15 mm
Weight: 4.14 grams
Obverse: Kantharos; pellet (mark of value) above
Reverse: Selinon leaf
Reference: Price, Selinus, Group IIIC; CNS 10; Puglisi 282; HGC 2, 1237




SICILY, Selinos Cast Æ Tetras (3 Onkia)
Circa 450-440 BC
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 11.64 grams
Obverse: Facing Gorgoneion
Reverse: Selinon leaf; three pellets around
Reference: Price, Selinus, Group IIB; CNS 3 (Trias); Thurlow & Vecchi 310; SNG Morcom –; SNG ANS –; SNG Lloyd –; HGC 2, 1232
Other: 12h … dark green patina
From the L.C. Aes Grave Collection

 

While many of us like Athens, it is hard to compete with Greek Sicily when it comes to great coins. A close second would be Southern Italy of the same period (before Rome took over). For a graduate of owl tetradrachms, the litra will be too small to be of interest. If you like owl obols, that would be different. Digest this site (not the easiest to use but worth the effort):
http://www.magnagraecia.nl/coins/
I suggest starting with area IV and Syracuse. You will find a lot of interesting coins.

 

Great info as per usual, Doug ... hey, since TIF introduced me to that very cool denomination-link earlier this morning, I have been pondering the few coins that are classified as merely AE22 through AE24 and have weights varying from 8.0 grams to 11.1 grams

NOTE => they are all a bit "younger" than their predecessors which all had classified denominations ...... do you happen to have any idea how to classify the AE coins in this weight/diam range? (they all seem to exist during the 350-276 BC period)

Ummm Doug (or anybody that has skilz-to-burn in this Sicily coin area) => do you have any idea where these types of coins fall on my newly found Onkia-scale?

Thanks guru(s) .......... fascinating, yes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFods1KSWsQ

 

Be sure you are not comparing things from different centuries and different cultures. I do not know the answer to your question but suspect it could be found on that site I linked above. There is no expectation that a coin of 350 BC has an equivalent in the series of 450 BC. What is the relationship of a penny of Henry VIII and a similar size 'silver' dime of Canada 2014. I have enough trouble figuring relationships of the AE22 and AE24 in what seems like a same series. Doe they show a weight change over time or is one three halves of the other?

 

=> true enough ... thanks coin-comrade

Side-note => apparently "anything-drachm" is big money!! (lotsa onkias ... onkii?)

 

Some seem similar to the coins of Athens because a lot of them feature Athena. And I do like more of the bigger coins. Bronze or silver they are both beautiful.

 

A lot these sites are very confusing to maneuver in. So far your second site has been the most helpful but still somewhat confusing.

 

I totally admit that Athena is very cool, but a whole lot of Sicilian coins feature Arethusa as well (now that chick "Rocks Sicily")

 

I really like these bronze ones youve showed here. Do you know a good place to start reference wise with these bronze coins?

 

Wow, you seem to be a collector of "Athena" more than anything else (maybe that's your niche?)



... ummm, maybe you're on to something!!?

I bought a book from the CNG => Handbook of Coins of Sicily (Including Lipara) by Oliver D. Hoover (I like it)

=> but other than that, no sorry ... but I'll continue to give my sassy opinions whenever you need a hint (it's all I got, my coin-friend)

Cheers