Signed by Prokles

Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 77. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $4000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Katane. Circa 415/3-404 BC. AR Litra (0.83 g, 7h). Obverse die signed by P(rokles). Head of Silenos left, wearing ivy wreath; small Π behind neck / Winged thunderbolt; two shields flanking, [KATA]-NAIΩN around. Boehringer, Kataneische Li 6; Mirone 82 (same dies); SNG ANS -; SNG Lloyd -; Rizzo pl. XIV, 17; Basel -. EF, toned. Rare.

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 29 (11 May 2005), lot 75; Numismatica Ars Classica 21 (17 May 2001), lot 61.

The dies used at Katane in the mid-late 5th century BC display some of the finest classical style engraving in Sicilian numismatics. Parallels in style between Katanean issues in this period and contemporary signed pieces from other mints have led numismatists to assign many dies to the work of master engravers such as Euainetos. The present piece, however, is signed Π, for the artist Prokles, whose full signature is known on tetradrachms at Katane in this period (cf. CNG 57, lot 83). This Prokles is thought to be the same artist who engraved a number of magnificent didrachm, hemidrachm, and litra dies at Naxos (cf. Cahn 108, 122, and 136, respectively). The quantity of his work there suggests that Naxos was his home (see also ACGC pp. 224-5).