Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3041 Sess. 4 13 August 2015
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Ancients
SICILY. Himera. Ca. 409-408 BC. AR tetradrachm (26mm, 16.90 gm, 3h). Signed by the artist MAI(...). Nymph Himera driving racing quadriga to right, horses rearing, Nike flying left above, holding wreath and tablet inscribed MAI; hippocamp left in exergue / Nymph Himera, wearing a long chiton and peplos, standing left, holding phiale in right hand and raising left; to left, horned altar; to right, satyr standing right, showering in a fountain with a lion's head spout. Basel 306. Guttmann & Schwabacher 20. Kraay-Hirmer 71. Arnold-Biucchi 22. A simply stunning specimen, with prooflike die state, strike and mirror surfaces. NGC Gem MS 4/5 - 5/5. Fine Style.Founded circa 640 BC along the northern Sicilian coastline, Himera quickly grew in prominence and prosperity until, circa 490 BC, a tyrant named Terillus seized control of the city and expelled the ruling oligarchy with the help of Carthaginian forces. Seven years later, Terillus was himself deposed by Theron, who ruled Acragas and Rhegium. Terillus asked his Carthaginian backers to restore him to power; the Carthaginian general Hamilcar, sensing an opportunity to control all of Sicily, arrived in 480 BC with a huge task force of 300,000 and placed Himera under siege. The threat forced Theron to make common cause with Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, and their combined armies inflicted a massive defeat on the Carthaginians at the Battle of Himera, seen by many historians as rivaling Salamis in its importance in preserving Greek culture against eastern despotism. However, the Carthaginians never forgot the disaster and, in 408 BC, led a new attack that utterly destroyed the city. Himera was one of the first Sicilian cities to strike coins but it took several decades for it to arrive at a settled symbolism. This beautiful tetradrachm, struck toward the end of Himera's existence, reveals the hand of a superb artist who signed his obverse die MAI, in emulation of the great contemporary Syracusan engravers. Alas, the destruction of his home city also seems to have ended his career, as this is the last coin type to bear this signature.
Estimate: 10000-15000 USD
SICILY. Himera. Ca. 409-408 BC. AR tetradrachm (26mm, 16.90 gm, 3h). Signed by the artist MAI(...). Nymph Himera driving racing quadriga to right, horses rearing, Nike flying left above, holding wreath and tablet inscribed MAI; hippocamp left in exergue / Nymph Himera, wearing a long chiton and peplos, standing left, holding phiale in right hand and raising left; to left, horned altar; to right, satyr standing right, showering in a fountain with a lion's head spout. Basel 306. Guttmann & Schwabacher 20. Kraay-Hirmer 71. Arnold-Biucchi 22. A simply stunning specimen, with prooflike die state, strike and mirror surfaces. NGC Gem MS 4/5 - 5/5. Fine Style.Founded circa 640 BC along the northern Sicilian coastline, Himera quickly grew in prominence and prosperity until, circa 490 BC, a tyrant named Terillus seized control of the city and expelled the ruling oligarchy with the help of Carthaginian forces. Seven years later, Terillus was himself deposed by Theron, who ruled Acragas and Rhegium. Terillus asked his Carthaginian backers to restore him to power; the Carthaginian general Hamilcar, sensing an opportunity to control all of Sicily, arrived in 480 BC with a huge task force of 300,000 and placed Himera under siege. The threat forced Theron to make common cause with Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, and their combined armies inflicted a massive defeat on the Carthaginians at the Battle of Himera, seen by many historians as rivaling Salamis in its importance in preserving Greek culture against eastern despotism. However, the Carthaginians never forgot the disaster and, in 408 BC, led a new attack that utterly destroyed the city. Himera was one of the first Sicilian cities to strike coins but it took several decades for it to arrive at a settled symbolism. This beautiful tetradrachm, struck toward the end of Himera's existence, reveals the hand of a superb artist who signed his obverse die MAI, in emulation of the great contemporary Syracusan engravers. Alas, the destruction of his home city also seems to have ended his career, as this is the last coin type to bear this signature.
Estimate: 10000-15000 USD