NumisBids
  
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Triton XXII  8-9 Jan 2019
View prices realized

Lot 139

Estimate: 500 USD
Price realized: 550 USD
Find similar lots
Share this lot: Share by Email
SICILY, Syracuse. Hieron I. 478-466 BC. AR Litra (9.5mm, 0.60 g). Local imitation. Diademed head of Arethousa right, wearing single-pendant earring and pearl necklace / Wheel with four spokes. Boehringer B28; cf. HGC 2, 1371; cf. SNG ANS 116; cf. SNG Lloyd 1301–2; cf. Rizzo pl. XXV, 8. Superb EF, dark find patina. Excellent metal.


From the Alan J. Harlan Collection. Ex Waddell inventory 51768; Numismatica Ars Classica 48 (21 October 2008), lot 48.

With the exception of a small group of imitative tetradrachms, which he places at Panormos, Boehringer suggests (pp. 68–72) that the "barbarous imitations" in his corpus were struck at the various cities of the Sikels, such as Henna or Herbessos. However, his assignment of issues to this category appears to have been based strictly on style, and while some issues clearly are foreign in style, others are only marginally different, such that they may, in fact, be official issues of Syracuse. This is particularly evident among the various litrai that Boehringer considered imitations, and, in this cataloger's opinion, the present piece is likely not imitative.
Question about this auction? Contact Classical Numismatic Group, LLC