Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3048 11 August 2016
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
SICILY. Leontini. Ca. 450-420 BC. AR tetradrachm (27mm, 17.45 gm, 9h). Laureate head of Apollo left / LEON-TI-NON, lion's head left, with open jaws and tongue protruding, bay-leaf behind, three barley-corns around. Boehringer, Leontinoi 55 (same dies). Rizzo pl. XXIV, 4 (same dies). SNG ANS 257 (same dies). Nearly invisible obverse die break, indicative of early die state. Cleanly struck in sound metal from dies of lovely style. NGC MS★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style.The silver tetradrachms of Leontini show a notable progress of artistic styles throughout the fifth century, beginning with archaic depictions of a walking quadriga similar to issues of Sicily, to a highly stylized Apollo head of a "mannerist" style, to the final evolution seen with this beautiful issue of circa 430-435 BC, depicting Apollo in a highly refined and naturalistic form. Leontini's reliance on agriculture instead of sea trade is reflected on the barley corns surrounding the central lion on the reverse.
Estimate: 10000-12000 USD
SICILY. Leontini. Ca. 450-420 BC. AR tetradrachm (27mm, 17.45 gm, 9h). Laureate head of Apollo left / LEON-TI-NON, lion's head left, with open jaws and tongue protruding, bay-leaf behind, three barley-corns around. Boehringer, Leontinoi 55 (same dies). Rizzo pl. XXIV, 4 (same dies). SNG ANS 257 (same dies). Nearly invisible obverse die break, indicative of early die state. Cleanly struck in sound metal from dies of lovely style. NGC MS★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style.The silver tetradrachms of Leontini show a notable progress of artistic styles throughout the fifth century, beginning with archaic depictions of a walking quadriga similar to issues of Sicily, to a highly stylized Apollo head of a "mannerist" style, to the final evolution seen with this beautiful issue of circa 430-435 BC, depicting Apollo in a highly refined and naturalistic form. Leontini's reliance on agriculture instead of sea trade is reflected on the barley corns surrounding the central lion on the reverse.
Estimate: 10000-12000 USD