Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 134 21 Nov 2022
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Greek Coins. Messana.
Tetradrachm circa 412-408, AR 17.14 g. Slow biga of mules driven l. by Messana, wearing long chiton and holding reins in both hands and kentron in r.; above, Nike flying r. to crown her. In exergue, two dolphins swimming snout to snout. Rev. ΜΕΣ – Σ – ΑΝ – ΙΟΝ Hare leaping l.; below, head of Pan l. SNG Copenhagen 406 (these dies). Locker-Lampson 76 (this coin). Jameson 654 (these dies). Caltabiano 608.18a and 26 (this coin, cited twice).
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, possibly the finest specimen known.
Struck on very fresh metal and with a superb old cabinet tone. Extremely fine
Ex Hirsch XVIII, 1907, 2256 and Leu 86, 2003, 273 sales. From the de Guermantes, G. Locker Lampson P. Mattheycollections and from the collection of an aesthete.
In 488/7 BC, Anaxilos, the tyrant of Rhegion, advised a group of Samian exiles that they could easily take the northern Sicilian city of Zancle for their own since the Chalkidian Greeks who founded it were away on campaign. Having used the Samians to dispossess the Zanclians, eight years later Anaxilos crossed over to Sicily and drove out the Samians himself. With Zancle now in his possession, the tyrant refounded the city as Messana in honour of his Peloponnesian origin in Messenia. The city remained under the control of Anaxilos and his successors in the tyranny at Rhegium until 461 BC, when returned Zanclian exiles and mercenaries formerly in the employ of the Anaxilids took the city for themselves. Despite the end of Anaxilid rule at Messana, the period of the Rhegian tyrants left a deep impression on the coinage of the city. Tetradrachms of the early fifth century feature a biga of mules copied from contemporary coins of Rhegium on the obverse. This type refers to the victory of Anaxilos in the Olympic anape (mule-biga race) in 484 or 480 BC, but was retained for Messanian coinage long after the end of the Rhegian tyranny. The present coin was struck late in the fifth century BC, but still features the mule biga of Anaxilos, although it has been updated to a high classical style and the personification of Messana now drives rather than a nameless muleteer. The springing hare of the reverse also originated on the earliest Anaxilid coinage of Messana, but it too continued in use for Messanian coinage through the fifth century as a badge of the city. Here it is associated with an additional control symbol depicting the head of Pan, a rustic deity who was known for hunting hares (lagoi in Greek) with his lagobolon-a type of throwing-stick that was especially good for striking hares.
Tetradrachm circa 412-408, AR 17.14 g. Slow biga of mules driven l. by Messana, wearing long chiton and holding reins in both hands and kentron in r.; above, Nike flying r. to crown her. In exergue, two dolphins swimming snout to snout. Rev. ΜΕΣ – Σ – ΑΝ – ΙΟΝ Hare leaping l.; below, head of Pan l. SNG Copenhagen 406 (these dies). Locker-Lampson 76 (this coin). Jameson 654 (these dies). Caltabiano 608.18a and 26 (this coin, cited twice).
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, possibly the finest specimen known.
Struck on very fresh metal and with a superb old cabinet tone. Extremely fine
Ex Hirsch XVIII, 1907, 2256 and Leu 86, 2003, 273 sales. From the de Guermantes, G. Locker Lampson P. Mattheycollections and from the collection of an aesthete.
In 488/7 BC, Anaxilos, the tyrant of Rhegion, advised a group of Samian exiles that they could easily take the northern Sicilian city of Zancle for their own since the Chalkidian Greeks who founded it were away on campaign. Having used the Samians to dispossess the Zanclians, eight years later Anaxilos crossed over to Sicily and drove out the Samians himself. With Zancle now in his possession, the tyrant refounded the city as Messana in honour of his Peloponnesian origin in Messenia. The city remained under the control of Anaxilos and his successors in the tyranny at Rhegium until 461 BC, when returned Zanclian exiles and mercenaries formerly in the employ of the Anaxilids took the city for themselves. Despite the end of Anaxilid rule at Messana, the period of the Rhegian tyrants left a deep impression on the coinage of the city. Tetradrachms of the early fifth century feature a biga of mules copied from contemporary coins of Rhegium on the obverse. This type refers to the victory of Anaxilos in the Olympic anape (mule-biga race) in 484 or 480 BC, but was retained for Messanian coinage long after the end of the Rhegian tyranny. The present coin was struck late in the fifth century BC, but still features the mule biga of Anaxilos, although it has been updated to a high classical style and the personification of Messana now drives rather than a nameless muleteer. The springing hare of the reverse also originated on the earliest Anaxilid coinage of Messana, but it too continued in use for Messanian coinage through the fifth century as a badge of the city. Here it is associated with an additional control symbol depicting the head of Pan, a rustic deity who was known for hunting hares (lagoi in Greek) with his lagobolon-a type of throwing-stick that was especially good for striking hares.