Hieron’s Largest Bronze

Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 75. Estimate $3000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $2600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron II. 275-215 BC. Æ 34mm (36.64 g, 6h). Struck circa 217-215 BC. Diademed head left / Nike, holding reins in both hands, driving fast biga right; monogram below, IEPΩNOΣ in exergue. CNS 196 var. (monogram); BAR issue 74; CCO pl. XLIII, 9; SNG Morcom 816-7 var. (same); Virzi 1835-9 var. (same); SNG ANS 908 var. (same). Near EF, dark green patina, a few minor pits. Very rare, especially with this monogram.

From the J. Olphin Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 58 (19 September 2001), lot 132.

In 265 BC, Hieron II routed the Mamertines at the river Longanus, west of Messana. This rare issue of about 36 grams may commemorate this victory and, if comparison is made with Mamertine bronze coins, is the equivalent of an octuple bronze piece (cf. SNG ANS Mamertini 401 [double of about 9 grams] and 402-409 [quadruples of about 18 grams]).