SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (14mm, 5.78 g, 3h). Struck circa 400-370 BC. NGC Ch AU, 5/5, 4/5, Fine Style.

CNG Feature Auction 129
Lot: 62.
Closing Date: May 14 2025 11:00 ET

Greek, Gold

Estimate: $ 25 000

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SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (14mm, 5.78 g, 3h). Struck circa 400-370 BC. Head of Arethousa left, hair in sakkos adorned with a star, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; ΣYPAKO[ΣION] to left, pellet behind neck / Herakles kneeling right, strangling the Nemean Lion; rocks below. Bérend Group III, 13.6 (D10/R8 – this coin); HGC 2, 1275; SNG ANS 326 (same dies); SNG Fitzwilliam 1266 (same dies). In NGC encapsulation 6290600-004, graded Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Fine Style.

Ex Mark & Lottie Salton Collection (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 14 January 2022), lot 4152; Ars Classica XVII (3 October 1934), lot 230.

The remarkable gold issues of Dionysios I, some of them signed by the same elite die engravers who were producing the immense silver dekadrachms, are considered among the most artistic gold pieces ever struck. The distinctive and expressive style of Euainetos is quite evident in his depiction of the nymph Arethousa, her hair enclosed in a sakkos ornamented with stars. The reverse depiction of Herakles wrestling the Nemean Lion is a marvel of compact tension and latent energy. Since Syracuse was engaged in a similar struggle with Carthage for control of Sicily, the imagery presents Dionysios as the new Syracusan Herakles saving Greek cities from the Carthaginian lion.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 13 May at 9 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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