ITALY. BRUTTIUM. Kroton. Circa 370-350 B.C. AR stater. 7.57 gm. 22 mm. Head of Hera Lakinia facing slightly right, wearing necklace and ornamented stephane / Naked young Heracles reclining left on rock draped with his lion-skin, holding wine-cup in extended right hand, his left resting on club at his side, bow on ground below; large B to upper left, ΚΡ[ΟΤΟΝΙ]ΑΤΑΣ around. HN Italy 2168. SNG ANS 373 (same dies). Nearly Very Fine; beautiful old toning; handsome portrait and good style overall; obverse die deteriorated and with surface scratches; small old test cut in edge at 12'. Important historical type. Rare.

Ex Glendinings (10 May 1987), lot 143. Ex Baldwins Auction 75 (26 September 2012), lot 2170. Ex Pegasi Auction 29 (5 November 2013), lot 31.Includes David Sear certificate of authenticity with historical notes.

The magnificent temple of Hera Lakinia, 'the shrine that faces the dawn,' revered and filled with treasures, stood on a promontory (the modern Capo Colonna) about 10 km south of Croton (the modern Crotone) in southern Italy. Dating from the seventh century BC, the ruins of this temple still exist on the site today. (Notes from David R. Sear's Certificate contributed.) On the reverse, Herakles appears as the founder of Kroton.