Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3040 9-10 April 2015
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Ancients
SICILY. Syracuse. Hieron II (274-215 BC). AV hemistater or drachm (17mm, 4.26 gm, 5h). Struck by Hieron as king, ca. 217-215 BC. Head of Persephone left, wreathed in grain ears; wreath behind / Charioteer driving fast biga left; E and IEPΩNOS below. HGC 2, 1541. Carroccio 20 variant (same obverse die, different reverse). BMC 515. Minor hairlines in reverse exergue, otherwise well centered and sharply struck from fresh dies. NGC MS 4/5 - 4/5. Hieron II was a military adventurer who fell in with the army of Pyrrhus during his great Western expedition of 280 BC. When Pyrrhus pulled out of Syracuse in 275 BC, Hieron remained behind as commander of the garrison. He cannily married Philistis, daughter of a prominent Syracusan noble, and a major victory against the Mamertines in 270 BC convinced the grateful populace to name him King. He reigned for the next 55 years with strength, intelligence and justice. His gold coinage and follows Syracusan tradition, with the wreathed head of Persephone on this lovely piece recalling the coinage of his predecessor Agathocles.
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD
SICILY. Syracuse. Hieron II (274-215 BC). AV hemistater or drachm (17mm, 4.26 gm, 5h). Struck by Hieron as king, ca. 217-215 BC. Head of Persephone left, wreathed in grain ears; wreath behind / Charioteer driving fast biga left; E and IEPΩNOS below. HGC 2, 1541. Carroccio 20 variant (same obverse die, different reverse). BMC 515. Minor hairlines in reverse exergue, otherwise well centered and sharply struck from fresh dies. NGC MS 4/5 - 4/5. Hieron II was a military adventurer who fell in with the army of Pyrrhus during his great Western expedition of 280 BC. When Pyrrhus pulled out of Syracuse in 275 BC, Hieron remained behind as commander of the garrison. He cannily married Philistis, daughter of a prominent Syracusan noble, and a major victory against the Mamertines in 270 BC convinced the grateful populace to name him King. He reigned for the next 55 years with strength, intelligence and justice. His gold coinage and follows Syracusan tradition, with the wreathed head of Persephone on this lovely piece recalling the coinage of his predecessor Agathocles.
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD