Sale: Triton V, Lot: 1192. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 16 January 2002.  Sold For $4000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Messana. Circa 412-408 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.29 gm). Charioteer driving walking biga left, holding kentron in right hand, reins in both; Nike flying above crowning charioteer, two dolphins in exergue / MESSAN-I-ON, hare springing right; head of Pan facing right below, syrinx before. Caltabiano 613 (D219/R235); SNG ANS 369 var. (same obverse die); SNG Lockett 829 (same reverse die). EF, reverse slightly double struck. Very rare variety with only 2 specimens cited by Caltabiano. ($5000)

Ex Numismatic Fine Arts Auction XXVII (4-5 December 1991), lot 17.

The mule biga and hare types introduced by Anaxilas continued to be used after the tyrant's family had been expelled and a more democratic regime established in 427. The racing mule-car with Nike above commemorates Anaxilas’ victory at Olympia, while the hare recalls that he was credited with having introduced it into Sicily, probably in connection with the cult of the Arcadian Pan at the time he changed the name of the city to Messene (which later became Messana).