SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I, 405-367 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 17.32 g, 6 h), circa 405-395. Charioteer driving fast quadriga to left, holding kentron in his right hand and reins in both; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath held in both hands; below horses' forelegs, ivy leaf; in exergue, grain ear to left.
Rev. [ΣYPAKOΣIΩ]-N Head of Arethousa to left, her hair bound with sphendone, wearing double-loop earring and plain necklace with frontal pendant; around, four dolphins. Fischer-Bossert, Coins, 82n = Tudeer 82n (
this coin, V30/R55). Jameson 1923 (
this coin). McClean 2718 (
same dies). Rizzo pl. XLVIII, 12 (
same dies). SNG ANS 290 (
same dies). SNG Oxford 2005 (
same dies). Fresh and clear, and with an exceptionally fine head of Arethousa and a very old pedigree. Struck from a worn obverse die and with minor flan faults on the reverse
, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
From the T. Frisbie Collection, privately acquired from Edward J. Waddell, from the collections of R. Jameson (1861-1942) and Ignazio Virzi (1852-1907), Hirsch XXXII 14-15 November 1912, 339 ('Prachtexemplar, von grosser Seltenheit'), and from the 1908 Noto (Falconera) Hoard (IGCH 2103).