Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3041 Sess. 4 13 August 2015
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Ancients
SICILY. Panormus (Sys or Ziz). Ca. 405-380 BC. AR tetradrachm (27mm, 17.53 gm, 12h). Male charioteer, holding kentron in left hand, reins in both, driving racing quadriga right; Nike flying left above, crowning charioteer with wreath, hippocamp swimming right in exergue, Punic ṢYṢ before / Head of Tanit-Arethusa left, hair bound with broad ampyx (hair band) marked at brow with small swastika, the back rolled in parallel plaits and bound against head, wearing triple-pendant earring and pearl necklace; three dolphins around. Jenkins, Punic 29 (O7/R25). HGC 2, 1009 (R2). SNG ANS 538 (same dies). A splendid example of this rare and attractive type, well struck in sound metal and superbly toned. NGC (photo-certificate) Choice XF★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. From a Northern California Collection. Ex Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection II (Sotheby's, Zurich, 4 April 1973), lot 296. Panormus, now known as Palermo, was one of the earliest trading colonies founded by the Phoenicians along the northern coast of Sicily. Panormus ("sheltered harbor") was the Greek name -- the Phoenicians called the outpost Sys, "splendor," likely a reference to its beauty in its natural surroundings. It was the first Phoenician city to strike coins in Sicily, starting about 410 BC; these early designs were based on those of neighboring Greek cities. This lovely issue of circa 405-390 BC is clearly patterned on the contemporary coins of Syracuse, with an obverse quadriga patterned on the tetradrachms signed by the engraver Euthydemus (Tudeer 15), while the reverse head of Tanit / Arethusa evokes the famous decadrachms of Kimon, albeit in a highly distinctive style. An unusual and often-overlooked feature of this beautiful series is the presence of a tiny swastika on the headband of Arethusa, the same location where Kimon sometimes placed his signature on the decadrachms. This is surely a signature as well, either that of a Greek engraver in Carthaginian service or a Phoenician one learning the art from its undisputed masters.
Estimate: 20000-25000 USD
SICILY. Panormus (Sys or Ziz). Ca. 405-380 BC. AR tetradrachm (27mm, 17.53 gm, 12h). Male charioteer, holding kentron in left hand, reins in both, driving racing quadriga right; Nike flying left above, crowning charioteer with wreath, hippocamp swimming right in exergue, Punic ṢYṢ before / Head of Tanit-Arethusa left, hair bound with broad ampyx (hair band) marked at brow with small swastika, the back rolled in parallel plaits and bound against head, wearing triple-pendant earring and pearl necklace; three dolphins around. Jenkins, Punic 29 (O7/R25). HGC 2, 1009 (R2). SNG ANS 538 (same dies). A splendid example of this rare and attractive type, well struck in sound metal and superbly toned. NGC (photo-certificate) Choice XF★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. From a Northern California Collection. Ex Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection II (Sotheby's, Zurich, 4 April 1973), lot 296. Panormus, now known as Palermo, was one of the earliest trading colonies founded by the Phoenicians along the northern coast of Sicily. Panormus ("sheltered harbor") was the Greek name -- the Phoenicians called the outpost Sys, "splendor," likely a reference to its beauty in its natural surroundings. It was the first Phoenician city to strike coins in Sicily, starting about 410 BC; these early designs were based on those of neighboring Greek cities. This lovely issue of circa 405-390 BC is clearly patterned on the contemporary coins of Syracuse, with an obverse quadriga patterned on the tetradrachms signed by the engraver Euthydemus (Tudeer 15), while the reverse head of Tanit / Arethusa evokes the famous decadrachms of Kimon, albeit in a highly distinctive style. An unusual and often-overlooked feature of this beautiful series is the presence of a tiny swastika on the headband of Arethusa, the same location where Kimon sometimes placed his signature on the decadrachms. This is surely a signature as well, either that of a Greek engraver in Carthaginian service or a Phoenician one learning the art from its undisputed masters.
Estimate: 20000-25000 USD