Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 137. Estimate CHF15000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF18000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Islands off Caria, Kos. Circa 285-258 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 14.83 g 12), Leodamas. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. ΚΩΙΟΝ / ΛΕΩΔΑΜΑΣ Crab with bow-case (gorytus) below; all within linear square made from pearls. Requier 44a (this coin). SNG Berry 1116. SNG Copenhagen 627. SNG Delepierre 2729. A lovely, attractively toned coin struck on a broad flan. Good extremely fine.

From the Z collection, Switzerland.

The Hellenistic tetradrachms of Kos can be, when they are not badly struck or corroded the way so many are, remarkably attractive. The heads of Herakles they bear are of great elegance, reminiscent of those struck for Alexander in Memphis as well as those on the much earlier tetradrachms struck by Kamarina (as SNG Lloyd 871 or Kunstfreund 84); this piece is a perfect example, with a head of Herakles that has both a noble beauty and is remarkably well centered. On the reverse is a crab accompanying Herakles’ bow-case: we know the crab was an ally of Herakles in Koan myth, but exactly why is unknown.