Triton XVIII, Lot: 350. Estimate $15000. Sold for $11500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Gela. Circa 465-450 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31mm, 17.08 g, 3h). Charioteer, holding kentron in left hand and reins in right, driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses with open wreath held in both hands; in background, column with Ionic capital set on plinth of two steps; in exergue, grain ear right / Forepart of man-headed bull right; CEΛA[Σ] above. Jenkins, Gela, Group III, 205 (O53/R110); HGC 2, 339 corr. (Nike not noted); SNG ANS –; SNG Lloyd –; Basel –; Dewing –; Hermitage Sale II 255 var. (no Nike; same rev. die); Hunterian 5 (same dies); McClean 975 var. (no Nike; same rev. die). Near EF, toned, a little off center. Struck on a broad flan. Extremely rare issue with Nike on the obverse, only 1 noted by Jenkins, and only 4 in CoinArchives.

While tetradrachms of Jenkins’ Group III are not very rare, the Nike was added on only one obverse die, which Jenkins noted from a single example in the Hunterian museum collection. While this suggests an issue for a specific, or special, purpose, Jenkins was unable to connect it with any particular event that is currently known (cf. Jenkins pp. 54–5).