Watch List notes:

The M.L. Collection of Coins of Magna Graecia and Sicily
Syracuse

Decadrachm unsigned work by Kimon circa 404-400, AR 43.20 g. Quadriga at speed with prancing horses driven l. by female charioteer leaning forward with kentron in r. hand, holding reins in l.; above, Nike flying r. to crown her. Beneath heavy exergual line, display of military harness set on two steps: shield and crested helmet, cuirass between greaves; below to l., on the horizontal surface of the exergual line, AΘΛA. Rev. ΣYPAKOΣIΩN Head of Arethusa l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx and caught up behind by net. Around, three dolphins swimming, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation. McClean 2732 (these dies). Jameson 1921 (these dies). Dewing 872 (these dies). Jongkees 10d (this coin).
Very rare. A very fascinating specimen of this important and a desirable issue struck on an
extremely broad flan. A very well accomplished portrait and a spectacular obverse,
wonderful old cabinet tone. Die-break on reverse, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Munzhandlung Basel 4, 1935, Prinz zu Waldeck, 514 and Leu 53, 1997, 34 sales.Scholars have long attempted to ascribe Kimon's decadrachms to an historical event as they seem in every way to be commemorative medallions. The Syracusan defeat of the Athenian navy in 413 at first seems an ideal choice, though current thought on the dating of this issue favours the victorious actions of Syracuse in the otherwise devastating invasion of Sicily by the Carthaginians from 406 to 405 B.C. The most compelling reason to associate the Kimonian decadrachms with a military victory is the display of armour and weaponry that appears in the exergue along with the inscription ATΛA, which indicates 'prizes', or at least 'agonistic contests'. Since it was a common practice of Greek soldiers to engrave dedicatory inscriptions on captured armour, a connection might be drawn between that practice and what we observe here. The obverse scene of a charioteer guiding his team through a bend is devoted entirely to victory. Despite their inherent dissimilarities, the four elements of the scene exist in harmony: the driver is calm and composed, the horses toss their heads wildly as they charge forward, Nike floats above as if undisturbed by the great contest below, and the display of arms and armour is fixed, as if monumental.