Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 138 18-19 May 2023
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Syracuse.
Decadrachm signed by Kimon circa 405-400, AR 43.21 g. Fast quadriga driven l. by charioteer, holding reins and kentron; in field above, Nike flying r. to crown him. In exergue, display of military harness set on two steps and below, ΑΘΛΑ. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩN Head of nymph Arethusa l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx, on which the signature ΚΙ/Μ, and caught up behind by net. Around three dolphins, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation. Rizzo pl. L, 1 and enlarged pl. LII, 1 (these dies). Weber 1611 (these dies). Regling, Syrakus 1. Gillet 644 (these dies). AMB 478 (this coin). Gulbenkian 301 (these dies). Dewing 868 (these dies). SNG Lloyd 1409 (these dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 42, 116. Jongkees 1.
Extremely rare. A very desirable specimen of this important issue, work of the most
celebrated Sicilian master engraver. A portrait of Arethusa of very elegant style
struck on a very broad flan. Wonderful old cabinet tone, almost invisible
marks on reverse, otherwise extremely fine / about extremely fine
Ex NAC sale 13, 1998, formerly exhibited at the Antikenmuseum Basel, 478. Privately purchased from Leo Mildenberg in December 1959 (sold as ex Lloyd collection but not in the SNG). From the Athos and Dina Moretti collection and an Exceptional Collection assembled between the early 70s and late 90s. As part of the late phase of the ongoing Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), in 415 BC the Athenians made the ill-fated decision to strike at the Peloponnesian grain supply and hopefully expand their empire by dispatching a naval expedition to Sicily. The primary target of the expedition was the conquest of Syracuse, the preeminent Dorian Greek city of the grain-producing island. Following an initial battle, the Syracusans endured a protracted siege that involved the construction of extensive wall networks by both besiegers and besieged. At last, after a series of Athenian tactical blunders, in September 415 BC, a Syracusan breakout resulted in the destruction and capture of the Athenian ships and the slaughter of the much of the expeditionary force at the Assinarus River. The Syracusans had achieved a great victory over the Athenians. In the aftermath, Syracuse was flooded with silver from the sale of plunder taken from the Athenians and from the sale of captured Athenians and their allies into slavery. It is believed that the outpouring of new Syracusan silver coinage in the last decade of the fifth century BC were struck from all of this silver that came unexpectedly to Syracuse. At the same time that Syracusan victory and the silver plunder provided the means and opportunity for a new coinage, it also seems to have sparked a great outpouring of artistic genius and a clear pride in the expression of that genius. In this period, commonly known as the age of the signing artists, Syracusan engravers experimented and reached the pinnacle of their art, frequently signing their dies with their names. The present coin is the much sought after and fabulously desirable decadrachm of Syracuse with types engraved by the Syracusan master engraver known only by the name Kimon. His signature K/IM is clearly visible on the ampyx. Taking a large flan as his canvas, Kimon here reimagines the standard obverse type of Syracusan silver coinage in classical style. The old slow quadriga of the preceding coinage-inherited from the days of the Deinomenid tyranny-now appears hurling towards the finish line, presumably at the Olympic games, as the charioteer goads the horses to their limits and Nike appears to crown him with the laurels. A panoply of armor is depicted in the exergue and labeled in Greek to identify it as the athla (prizes), although here the usual label is off flan. While such prizes might be appropriate for the winner of a chariot race, one wonders whether there is not a touch of allegory intended in the type, considering the probable source of the silver. The chariot and charioteer may represent Syracuse as the victor in its recent contest with Athens while the prize panoply represents the spoils taken in that contest and used to finance the coinage. Kimon's head of Arethusa on the reverse is universally applauded as a masterpiece of Greek numismatic art. The face is a paradigm of classical perfection framed by incredibly detailed treatment of the hair, the lotus blossom of the nymph's earring, and the net that holds her hair in place. The engraver also shows some special playfulness with his design on this particular reverse die. Whereas the dolphin below Arethusa's neck truncation is usually depicted swimming to the left with the curve of its body following that of the truncation, here Kimon has added extra depth by having this dolphin swimming out from behind the truncation.
Decadrachm signed by Kimon circa 405-400, AR 43.21 g. Fast quadriga driven l. by charioteer, holding reins and kentron; in field above, Nike flying r. to crown him. In exergue, display of military harness set on two steps and below, ΑΘΛΑ. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩN Head of nymph Arethusa l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx, on which the signature ΚΙ/Μ, and caught up behind by net. Around three dolphins, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation. Rizzo pl. L, 1 and enlarged pl. LII, 1 (these dies). Weber 1611 (these dies). Regling, Syrakus 1. Gillet 644 (these dies). AMB 478 (this coin). Gulbenkian 301 (these dies). Dewing 868 (these dies). SNG Lloyd 1409 (these dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 42, 116. Jongkees 1.
Extremely rare. A very desirable specimen of this important issue, work of the most
celebrated Sicilian master engraver. A portrait of Arethusa of very elegant style
struck on a very broad flan. Wonderful old cabinet tone, almost invisible
marks on reverse, otherwise extremely fine / about extremely fine
Ex NAC sale 13, 1998, formerly exhibited at the Antikenmuseum Basel, 478. Privately purchased from Leo Mildenberg in December 1959 (sold as ex Lloyd collection but not in the SNG). From the Athos and Dina Moretti collection and an Exceptional Collection assembled between the early 70s and late 90s. As part of the late phase of the ongoing Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), in 415 BC the Athenians made the ill-fated decision to strike at the Peloponnesian grain supply and hopefully expand their empire by dispatching a naval expedition to Sicily. The primary target of the expedition was the conquest of Syracuse, the preeminent Dorian Greek city of the grain-producing island. Following an initial battle, the Syracusans endured a protracted siege that involved the construction of extensive wall networks by both besiegers and besieged. At last, after a series of Athenian tactical blunders, in September 415 BC, a Syracusan breakout resulted in the destruction and capture of the Athenian ships and the slaughter of the much of the expeditionary force at the Assinarus River. The Syracusans had achieved a great victory over the Athenians. In the aftermath, Syracuse was flooded with silver from the sale of plunder taken from the Athenians and from the sale of captured Athenians and their allies into slavery. It is believed that the outpouring of new Syracusan silver coinage in the last decade of the fifth century BC were struck from all of this silver that came unexpectedly to Syracuse. At the same time that Syracusan victory and the silver plunder provided the means and opportunity for a new coinage, it also seems to have sparked a great outpouring of artistic genius and a clear pride in the expression of that genius. In this period, commonly known as the age of the signing artists, Syracusan engravers experimented and reached the pinnacle of their art, frequently signing their dies with their names. The present coin is the much sought after and fabulously desirable decadrachm of Syracuse with types engraved by the Syracusan master engraver known only by the name Kimon. His signature K/IM is clearly visible on the ampyx. Taking a large flan as his canvas, Kimon here reimagines the standard obverse type of Syracusan silver coinage in classical style. The old slow quadriga of the preceding coinage-inherited from the days of the Deinomenid tyranny-now appears hurling towards the finish line, presumably at the Olympic games, as the charioteer goads the horses to their limits and Nike appears to crown him with the laurels. A panoply of armor is depicted in the exergue and labeled in Greek to identify it as the athla (prizes), although here the usual label is off flan. While such prizes might be appropriate for the winner of a chariot race, one wonders whether there is not a touch of allegory intended in the type, considering the probable source of the silver. The chariot and charioteer may represent Syracuse as the victor in its recent contest with Athens while the prize panoply represents the spoils taken in that contest and used to finance the coinage. Kimon's head of Arethusa on the reverse is universally applauded as a masterpiece of Greek numismatic art. The face is a paradigm of classical perfection framed by incredibly detailed treatment of the hair, the lotus blossom of the nymph's earring, and the net that holds her hair in place. The engraver also shows some special playfulness with his design on this particular reverse die. Whereas the dolphin below Arethusa's neck truncation is usually depicted swimming to the left with the curve of its body following that of the truncation, here Kimon has added extra depth by having this dolphin swimming out from behind the truncation.