Watch List notes:

SICILY, Syracuse. 475-470 BC. AR tetradrachm (17,42 g). Struck under Hieron I. Slow quadriga advancing right, horses crowned by Nike flying above / ΣVRΑΚΟΣΙΟΝ (R is upside down), Head of Arethousa right, wearing pearl tainia; four dolphins svimming clockwise around. Well preserved surfaces with deep cabinet tone and lusterous highlights. Well sentered for type. Purchased from Oslo Myntgalleri October 2012. . The Greek colonies in Sicily somehow managed to produce some of the most spectacular coins of the Greek World, especially during the 5th century BC. The cities waged war against each other, and yet they had time and resources sufficient to make these masterpieces.Syracuse in particular must have hosted a number of master engravers, many of which signed the coins. It is also interesting to note that the Carthaginians in Sicily made coins resembling the Greek coinage. The most likely explanation is that they used Greek mercenaries. Grade:1+/01