Sicily. Syracuse. Dionysius. 405-400 BC. AV Double Decadrachm (5.80g, 1h). Attributed to the master Kimon. Bérend 31 (same dies); Numismatica Ars Classica 2013 (74) lot 280 (same dies). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck on a gem-like flan in high relief. Exceptional for issue. Good extremely fine. From a private collection; Jean Vinchon 1997 (9 December) lot 9

The use of gold and the large size of the silver dekadrachms made Dionysius' new coinage system look very impressive. It seems that the function of this prestigious coinage was to pay for the mercenaries whom Dionysius hired in the great struggles against Carthage. The typology of the gold may reflect this function: although the obverse is the head of Arethusa from the silver coinage, a new reverse has been introduced, showing the hero Herakles strangling the Nemean lion. The design is obviously well-suited to the tondo of a coin, but it is easy to see in it an allegory of the struggle of Syracuse against barbarian Carthage