Caria. Kos. 350-345 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.19g, 11h). Pixodaros 19a = Tradart 3.49 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Superb Hellenistic style. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tkalec & Rauch 1989 (25 April) lot 137; from the 1978 Pixodaros hoard (CH 9.421)

Herakles is undoubtedly one of the most famous of all heroes. He would have accomplished innumerables exploits and nobody would have killed more monsters than him! Although some facial details led to caricature (Epicharmus had already left a memorable portrait of him as a greedy pig eating with creaking jaws), the Ancients did not hesitate to transform the hero obsessed about fights, wounds and excesses, into a master of wiseness and a model of all virtues!