Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 514 20 Apr 2022
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
SICILY, Himera(?). Circa 470-450 BC. AR Onkia (5mm, 0.16 g). Bearded head of male right, wearing tainia / Pellet within incuse circle. Cf. HGC 2, 457 (trionkia with similar obverse); Pecunem 36, lot 18. Toned, deposits. VF. Extremely rare.
A puzzling emission of tiny silver fractions was struck by a variety of Sicilian mints in the mid-fifth century BC, all of them representing fractions of the (already small) silver litra, weighing about 0.86 grams. The reverse was denominated by a series of pellets, presumably representing the equivalent weight in bronze by the ounce (onkia). The smallest of these so far noted in extant references are dionkia of about 0.14 grams in weight, marked by two pellets. This piece, with a single pellet, would seem to be an onkia, although by weight it ought to be a dionkion. Deposits of oxide on the reverse could account for some of the difference, but with such tiny fractions, precision at that level with the tools available to the ancient mintmasters must have been practically impossible. These tiny silver pieces would be replaced later in the fifth century by bronze issues. Of the various mints that struck these tiny fractions, only two, Himera and Panormos, struck issues with a bearded male on the obverse. At Himera, the head was bare, while at Panormos, the head was horned, representing the city's river god. The present piece differs from both of these, as the head is depicted wearing a tainia. As such, it is more plausible as an issue of Himera, but this is still speculative.
A puzzling emission of tiny silver fractions was struck by a variety of Sicilian mints in the mid-fifth century BC, all of them representing fractions of the (already small) silver litra, weighing about 0.86 grams. The reverse was denominated by a series of pellets, presumably representing the equivalent weight in bronze by the ounce (onkia). The smallest of these so far noted in extant references are dionkia of about 0.14 grams in weight, marked by two pellets. This piece, with a single pellet, would seem to be an onkia, although by weight it ought to be a dionkion. Deposits of oxide on the reverse could account for some of the difference, but with such tiny fractions, precision at that level with the tools available to the ancient mintmasters must have been practically impossible. These tiny silver pieces would be replaced later in the fifth century by bronze issues. Of the various mints that struck these tiny fractions, only two, Himera and Panormos, struck issues with a bearded male on the obverse. At Himera, the head was bare, while at Panormos, the head was horned, representing the city's river god. The present piece differs from both of these, as the head is depicted wearing a tainia. As such, it is more plausible as an issue of Himera, but this is still speculative.