Very Rare Large Bronze of Hieron II

431, Lot: 29. Estimate $2000. Sold for $2112. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron II. 275-215 BC. Æ Tetralitron (34mm, 36.64 g, 6h). Struck circa 217-215 BC. Diademed head left / Nike driving galloping biga right; monogram below. CNS 196 var. (monogram); BAR issue 74; CCO pl. XLIII, 9; HGC 2, 1546; SNG Morcom 816-7 var. (same); Virzi 1835-9 var. (same); SNG ANS 908 var. (same). Near EF, dark green patina, a few minor pits. Very rare, especially with this monogram.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 372 (6 April 2016), lot 44; J. Olphin Collection (Triton XIII, 5 January 2010), lot 75; Classical Numismatic Group 58 (19 September 2001), lot 132.

In 265 BC, Hieron II routed the Mamertines at the river Longanus, west of Messana. This rare issue of about 36 grams may commemorate this victory and, if comparison is made with Mamertine bronze coins, is the equivalent of an octuple bronze piece (cf. SNG ANS Mamertini 401 [double of about 9 grams] and 402-409 [quadruples of about 18 grams])