Important New Die Link

CNG 102, Lot: 163. Estimate $1000. Sold for $2100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AR 16 Litrai – Tetradrachm (26mm, 13.17 g, 5h). Struck circa 218/7-214 BC. Diademed and veiled bust left; star to right / Nike driving slow quadriga right; star above, K to right. CCO – (D21 [from prior series]/R27); BAR Issue 65; HGC 2, 1556. EF, dark iridescent tone, a couple flan flaws on obverse. Numismatically important coin, linking two series of Philistis’ coins.

This die combination links Philistis’ two tetradrachm series, one with galloping quadriga reverse, the other with a slow quadriga. The link is doubly important as it suggests a reordering of the relative chronology of the slow quadriga series. In COO, the coins with a star control mark on the obverse were placed after three groups with different symbols, but the new link suggests the star group should be placed first (if the two series are consecutive).