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January Signature Sale 3089 21-22 Jan 2021
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Ancients
SICILY. Naxos. Ca. 420-403 BC. AR didrachm (22mm, 8.48 gm, 6h). NGC XF★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Ca. 410 BC, Prokles, engraver. ΝΑΞΙΩΝ, laureate youthful head of Apollo right; laurel spray with leaf and berry behind, dotted border / Silenus, bearded and nude, kneeling facing on two steps, head left, cantharus upright in right hand, thyrsus in left; herm right in left field, ivy stem with five leaves in right field, ΠPOKΛHΣ (artist signature) on lower step. Cahn 135, 108 (same dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 4, 11 (same dies). Rizzo pl. XXVIII 25 (same dies). Very rare.
From the Penn Collection. Ex M&M Numismatics, Auction 1 (7 December 1997), lot 36
The signature of the engraver Prokles can also be found on a Catanian tetradrachm and may also have engraved the Terina nomoi which are signed simply with Π. Naxian coinage featured Dionysus on the obverse until this issue. Apollo Archegetes was worshipped as civic founder at Naxos as at many other Greek colonies. The reverse design is essentially that of Naxian tetradrachms, showing Silenus communing with Dionysus through wine. Other modification smade by the master engraver include the staff of the thyrsus transformed from a scepter to a branch, stripped of its leaves and twigs, bringing this well-known symbol of Dionysus closer to nature. The herm in the left field is a pillar with a bearded head and a phallus that was used to mark crossroads. In this case, it is also honoring Dionysus, who included fertility among his several functions.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-sicily-naxos-ca-420-403-bc-ar-didrachm-22mm-848-gm-6h-ngc-xfand-9733-5-5-5-5-fine-style/a/3089-31004.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD
SICILY. Naxos. Ca. 420-403 BC. AR didrachm (22mm, 8.48 gm, 6h). NGC XF★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Ca. 410 BC, Prokles, engraver. ΝΑΞΙΩΝ, laureate youthful head of Apollo right; laurel spray with leaf and berry behind, dotted border / Silenus, bearded and nude, kneeling facing on two steps, head left, cantharus upright in right hand, thyrsus in left; herm right in left field, ivy stem with five leaves in right field, ΠPOKΛHΣ (artist signature) on lower step. Cahn 135, 108 (same dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 4, 11 (same dies). Rizzo pl. XXVIII 25 (same dies). Very rare.
From the Penn Collection. Ex M&M Numismatics, Auction 1 (7 December 1997), lot 36
The signature of the engraver Prokles can also be found on a Catanian tetradrachm and may also have engraved the Terina nomoi which are signed simply with Π. Naxian coinage featured Dionysus on the obverse until this issue. Apollo Archegetes was worshipped as civic founder at Naxos as at many other Greek colonies. The reverse design is essentially that of Naxian tetradrachms, showing Silenus communing with Dionysus through wine. Other modification smade by the master engraver include the staff of the thyrsus transformed from a scepter to a branch, stripped of its leaves and twigs, bringing this well-known symbol of Dionysus closer to nature. The herm in the left field is a pillar with a bearded head and a phallus that was used to mark crossroads. In this case, it is also honoring Dionysus, who included fertility among his several functions.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-sicily-naxos-ca-420-403-bc-ar-didrachm-22mm-848-gm-6h-ngc-xfand-9733-5-5-5-5-fine-style/a/3089-31004.s?type=CoinArchives3089
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD