Sale: Nomos 3 & 4, Lot: 27. Estimate CHF50000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 May 2011.  Sold For CHF42000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.32 g 3), c. 460-450. Quadriga walking to right, driver holds the reins in his left hand and his goad in his right; above, Nike flying right to crown the driver; in exergue, ketos swimming to right. Rev. ΣVRΑΟΣΙΟΝ (sic!) Head of Arethusa to right, wearing necklace and diadem of pearls, and with her hair drawn up at the back; around, four dolphins swimming clockwise to right. BMFA 362. Boehringer 440. A superb, fresh and splendidly toned example, well struck and centered. Good extremely fine.

From a Swiss private collection, ex Numismatica Ars Classica 27, 12 May 2004, 113.

Coins from Syracuse of this period are rarely found so beautifully struck.