Ancients
Anonymous. Ca. 225-212 BC. AR didrachm or quadrigatus (20mm, 6.53 gm, 3h). Sicilian mint, ca. 214-212 BC. Laureate head of young Janus with curving indentation at neck and curving sideburns, two annulets at top of head, dotted border / Jupiter standing in quadriga driven by Victory right, wielding thunderbolt and holding scepter, ear of grain rightward below, ROMA in relief in quadrilateral frame thereunder; linear border. Crawford 42/1. Sydenham 66. RSC 24a. Rare. Boldly struck on a broad flan. NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5. Until recently only 33 silver quadrigati with the wheat ear symbol were known to exist. A few more came to market in the early 2000s, but the variety remains the rarest issue of the series. The wheat ear is often used in Roman iconography as a symbol for Sicily and its presence here indicates these coins were produced at a branch mint in Sicily, likely after Syracuse was placed under siege by the Romans in 214 BC.
Estimate: 800-1100 USD