Extremely Rare Variety of a Very Rare Type

345, Lot: 112. Estimate $150. Sold for $220. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Akragas. Circa 425/0-410/06 BC. Æ Tetras – Trionkion (22mm, 11.58 g, 6h). Eagle, head and wings raised, standing left on hare / Crab; below, crawfish left; three pellets (mark of value) around. CNS 61 var. (position of wings and pellets); HGC 2, 143 var. (position of wings); SNG Agrigentum 219 var. (position of wings). Good Fine, dark green patina. Extremely rare variety with both wings raised behind rather than displayed.

Ex J. Swithenbank Collection (Roma Electronic Auction 5, 18 February 2014), lot 93.

Calciati, in CNS, notes that type 61 is “of the greatest rarity.” On that type, the wings of the eagle are displayed, with one visible on each side of its raised head. At the same time, the pellets on the reverse are typically arranged with two flanking the crab, with the final one in the exergue. On this piece, the wings of the eagle are raised, but both are behind the eagle, and on the reverse, the final pellet is above the eagle. The specimen in the Agrigentum museum is the only piece in a major collection with the pellets arranged as here, but the wings of the eagle on that one is in the typical displayed position.