SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I, 405-367 BC. Dekadrachm (Silver, 36 mm, 43.71 g, 10 h), dies by Kimon, circa 405-400. Charioteer driving quadriga galloping to left, holding kentron in his right hand and reins with his left; above, Nike flying right, crowning the charioteer with a wreath; in exergue, on two slightly raised lines, shield, pair of greaves, cuirass and crested Attic helmet; below, [ΑΘΛΑ]. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ Head of Arethousa to left, wearing pendant earring and pearl necklace, her hair bound in a broad ampyx and confined in the back in a net; to left, two dolphins swimming towards each other; to right, another dolphin swimming downward; below neck truncation, another dolphin, perhaps with Kimon's signature. Dewing 872 (same dies). Gillet 648 = Jameson 1921 (this coin). McClean 2732 (same dies). Jongkees 10.a (this coin, dies C/ι). Nanteuil 356 (same obverse die). Rizzo pl. L, 6 (same obverse die). SNG ANS 359 (same dies). Beautifully toned and incredibly sharp, the finest known example from this wonderful die pair and one of the true masterpieces of Greek numismatic art. With an outstanding pedigree dating back to the 19th century and a magnificent Arethousa representing the zenith of Kimon’s artistry. The usual die break on the reverse, but in an earlier state than on any other surviving example, and with minor imprints from recent mounting on the outer fields, otherwise, extremely fine.



Much has been written about the magnificent Syracusan dekadrachms from the early tyranny of Dionysios I. Regarding their creators, the renowned engravers Euainetos and Kimon, we know only what the coins themselves reveal. These artists are part of a Sicilian tradition that began in the 420s BC, where the most splendid coin dies were signed by their creators, who clearly engaged in a fruitful artistic competition with one another. For Syracuse, this vibrant contest has been vividly depicted by Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert in his 2017 work, 'Coins, Artists, and Tyrants: Syracuse in the Time of the Peloponnesian War'. Eukleidas, Euarchidas, Euainetos, Eumenos, Euth..., Exakestidas, Herakleidas, Im..., Kimon, Kratesippos, Mai..., Parmenides, Phrygillos, Prokles, Silanos, Simin..., Sosion, and others all signed their dies for various Sicilian cities. Among these, the works of Eukleidas, Kimon, and Euainetos are regarded as the most consummate, each artist influencing the others while maintaining distinct stylistic differences.

Our splendid dekadrachm belongs to Kimon's series, distinguished by a calm, austere, and regal style that is inherently conservative. This stands in stark contrast to the lighter, somewhat playful features that Euainetos imbued in his portrayal of Arethousa. Kimon signed his dies in various locations - sometimes on the obverse ground line, or, in the case of Arethousa, with the abbreviation 'KI' on the nymph's ampyx or his full name on the dolphin below her neck. The magnificent dies of our specimen certainly belong to the master engraver’s personal oeuvre, though the reverse die must have been damaged early on: a die break beneath the nymph’s neck, already visible here in its early stages, obscures the lowest dolphin on all known examples, leaving it uncertain whether the die was signed. Indeed, our piece is not only the finest-preserved example of this die pairing, but it also shows the die break in an earlier state than any other surviving specimen. In most other examples, the break is significantly larger, extending over the back of the head and forming an unpleasant visual distraction.

Art and politics are inseparable, and although we know nothing of the lives of Kimon and his contemporaries, their connection to the political landscape of Syracuse is unmistakable. The final years of the Second Democracy, the struggle against the Athenian invasion, and the rise of Dionysios to tyranny in Syracuse and dominance over the Greek West provide the historical backdrop for the die-cutting mastery of these mutually influential Sicilian artists, culminating in a numismatic crescendo unmatched in history. The bold experimentation of these great engravers has left us with timeless masterpieces: the frontal portraits of Arethousa by Eukleidas and Kimon, and the magnificent dekadrachms by Kimon and Euainetos - resulting in a classical perfection that would never again be reached, let alone surpassed. That their contemporaries shared this sentiment is evident not only in the widespread adoption of these motifs in the coinage of other cities but also in the subsequent canonization of these types. After Kimon and Euainetos, Syracusan coinage became increasingly static; the spirit of artistic audacity waned, and the masterpieces of the great engravers were merely imitated by subsequent artists, with no further advancement. From our modern perspective, one is almost tempted to view this development as a transition from a restless yet vibrant and pluralistic democracy to the rigidity of Dionysios' authoritarian rule, which would come to epitomize Greek tyranny.

The timeless beauty of the works by Kimon and Euainetos has always captivated numismatic enthusiasts and has been regarded as a pinnacle of ancient die-cutting artistry since the Renaissance sparked an interest in Greek coins. Nearly every major collector of the 19th and 20th centuries acquired one or more pieces by these renowned master engravers. Among those who owned our specimen were R. Jameson (1861-1942) and C. Gillet (1879-1972), better known as 'Kunstfreund'. We also learned from our good friend, Dr. Efrem Pegan, that lot numbers 1-441 of the 1913 Brüder Egger Auction XLV, which consisted exclusively of coins from Magna Graecia and included our dekadrachm, all originated from the collection of the Mayor of Catania, Commendatore Vincenzo Pappalardo, who decades later would play a significant role in financing the monumental work by G. E. Rizzo, Monete greche della Sicilia (1946). However, these pieces initially belonged to his father, Decio Pappalardo, who had been active in numismatics since the 1850s and later developed close relationships with Tom Virzi of Palermo/New York and Heinrich Hirsch, the father of Dr. Jakob Hirsch. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Pegan for providing these valuable insights into the further provenance of this magnificent coin.

In more recent times, the piece was acquired in 2000 in Leu auction 77 by a now-deceased German collector, who had it set into an artful necklace to present it as a gift to his beloved wife. Now that the owner of the jewelry has also passed away, her heirs wish to return it to the numismatic market. For this purpose, the magnificent piece has been carefully removed from the necklace. The proud future owner of the coin might appreciate that the slight but regrettable imprints left by the mounting are a poignant reminder of the love story behind the piece.