Watch List notes:

Sicily, Katane by Euainetos. Tetradrachm; Sicily, Katane by Euainetos; c. 408/7 BC, Tetradrachm, 14.87g. SNG-Munich 437, Rizzo-pl. XIV, 6, SNG ANS-1260. Seltman, Masterpieces of Greek Coinage, p. 84, 35b (same reverse die). Gardner, NC (1876), p. 29. Fischer-Bossert, SNR 77 (1998), pp. 28-31, pl. 6, 11 (same dies). Obv: Quadriga with driver in full gallop l., Nike flying overhead holding a tablet with the signature of the artist of the coin Euainetos [EYAIN]. (The signature is not visible due to corrosion.) Below exergual line, crab. Rx: ???????O? Laureate head of Apollo (or Amenanos) l. Before, wool fillet with four wool bobbles, a loop at the top for hanging and a bell at the bottom; behind, large crawfish. This coin from Katane is one of the absolute highlights of Greek artistry. It is signed by the artist Euainetos. The head of Apollo (or Amenanos, the river-boy), though male, appears to the viewer to be that of a beautiful, attractive woman. He has delicate features and the hair is thrown up high with mounds of curls. Charles Seltman in his Masterpieces of Greek Coinage comments on how the coin of Catane and the Syracusean tetradrachm shown opposite in his book are so similar in appearance that they must be brother and sister. Percy Gardner in his article in the NC from 1876 sums it up quite beautifully when he says \'...the distinguishing mark of which is delicacy and extreme refinement passing into luxuriousness. The fastidiousness of the lips and the great delicacy of the nose will be especially striking if we compare this representation with the last but one (No. 24 is a full-frontal view of Apollo, which is considerably less refined than our coin). The length of the hair and its confinement at the back show a return to archaistic treatment.\' Ex Gemini X, 13 January 2013, lot 12. Ex Hirsch 275, 22 September 2011, lot 3210. Ex M&M Basel 72, 6 October 1987, lot 515.When Harlan Berk was new in numismatics, he only dealt in Roman coins. On a fishing trip to Minnesota, he read a book, "Masterpieces of Greek Coinage", by Charles Seltman, published in 1948. This book introduced him to Greek coinage, and this is one of the 55 truly beautiful coins that Seltman had chosen to illustrate. The reverse of this coin, that shows Apollo, is much better than the British Museum specimen that Seltman plated. The obverse of our coin is somewhat corroded. Happily, the portrait of Apollo is the main aspect of this coin

(PS-Harlan was not driving while reading!). VF