Exceptional Signed Tetradrachm

Triton XIV, Lot: 329. Estimate $30000. Sold for $80000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLANDS off CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 404-385 BC. AR Tetradrachm (22mm, 15.14 g, 12h). Chian standard. Reverse die signed by Xe(no)-. Head of Helios facing slightly right / Rose in profile, bud to right; POΔION above, Ξ-E flanking stem; to left, A above above lion’s head right; all within incuse square. Hecatomnus 50 (A33/P43) = Bérend, Tétradrachmes 33 (this coin); Ashton 28 (this coin referenced); otherwise unpublished. EF, toned. Extremely rare, only six Xeno-signed coins known, this the only one with these symbols. Exceptional condition for this high-relief series.

Ex Triton X (9 January 2007), lot 358; Classical Numismatic Review XXV (Summer 2000), no. 51 (and cover coin); Leu 77 (11 May 2000), lot 326; 1971 Marmaris Hoard (IGCH 1209).

The artist Xeno- is known from four reverse dies, all of which occur with different subsidiary symbols: sphinx, shrimp, lion’s head with A, and lion’s head with Δ (Hecatomnus 46-47, 48, 50, and 53, respectively). It is unknown whether the obverse dies paired with these reverse dies are also the work of Xeno- (some also occur with unsigned reverses), but they are of the finest style in the early Rhodian series.