Sicily, Syracuse AV Stater. Time of Agathokles, circa 306-289 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with griffin, single-pendant earring and necklace / Winged thunderbolt, AΓAΘOKΛEOΣ above, BAΣIΛEOΣ and monogram below. Bérend, Essays to Price, pl. 9, 8 = SNG ANS 704; Boston MFA 466; BMC 419; HGC 2, 1535. 5.69g, 16mm, 2h.

Extremely Fine; lustrous.

Ex Morton & Eden Ltd, Auction 100(Important Greek and Roman Coins), 2 May 2019, lot 223.

This coin is from a short-lived issue known from only six obverse and seven reverse dies with numerous interlinkings, which suggest a specific occasion for its striking. Bearing the legend "King Agathokles", one proposal regarding the event to which these coins are connected includes the assumption of the royal title by Agathokles in 304 BC, though the reverse type of the thunderbolt has strong Epeirote connotations as it recalls the silver staters of Alexander of Epeiros issued at Tarentum circa 334-330 and could therefore link the issue with the marraige of Agathokles' daughter to Pyrrhos of Epeiros in 297. Renewed preparations for war against Carthage is a third postulated reason, as the obverse type of Athena is clearly derived from the gold coinage of Alexander III of Macedon and thus would have been familiar to Greek mercenaries.