Watch List notes:

JDL Collection Part II: Geek Coins
SICILY

SYRACUSE, Tetradrachm c. 305–295 BC. Agathocles, 317–289, Attic standard, AR 16.91 g.

Obv. ΚΟΡΑΣ ??Head of Kore-persephone right, crowned with wreath of barley and reeds and wearing a single-drop earring and necklace; border of dots.
Rev. ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΣ ??Nike naked to waist standing right on ground line, fixing helmet to trophy with the help of hammer and nail; in left field, triskeles; in right field, monogram .
Literature
BMC Sicily 196, 388 var. (triskeles right, monogram left) SNG Ashmolean 2075 var. (triskeles right, monogram left) SNG Copenhagen 766 var. (triskeles right, monogram left)
M. Ierardi, "The Tetradrachms of Agathocles of Syracuse: a Preliminary Study", AJN 7–8, 90 (these dies)
Antikenmuseum Basel 512 var (triskeles right, monogram left) Gulbenkian I 334 (these dies)
M.-M. Bendenoun, Coins of the Ancient World, A portrait of the JDL Collection, Tradart, Genève, 2009, 8 (this coin)
Condition
In exceptional condition and possibly one of the finest specimens known of this lovely issue. Perfectly struck on a very large flan and of lovely style. Lightly toned and good extremely fine.

When Agathocles began to issue his tetradrachms it was a novel act, as no such coins had been produced at Syracuse for about seventy years. Prior to about 385 B.C. they had been struck in enormous quantities, which apparently had been sufficient to service the local economy ever since. With his Arethu- sa/quadriga type, Agathocles not only re-introduced large-de- nomination silver coinage at Syracuse, but he also revived the familiar Arethusa-quadriga design type using a portrait of the goddess that was modeled after the renowned composition of Euainetos. He did, however, update some aspects of the style and fabric, perhaps most significantly in moving the portrait from the reverse to the obverse, just as he eventually did with his Corinthian-style staters.
The subsequent issue, to which this coin belongs, bears an innovative type. The portrait of Kore-Persephone is of a decide- dly 'modern' style, and is accompanied by the epithet ΚΟΠΑΣ, identifying her as Kore ('the Maiden'). The reverse composition of Nike erecting a trophy must be seen as an allusion to victory
– either achieved or anticipated. Of interest both visually and academically is the development in style and fabric within this series, which quickly erodes from a small group of exceptional dies to a much larger selection of 'barbarous' ones.
The present coin was struck by two of the earliest dies in the series, which clearly were the work of gifted Greek artist(s). Not long afterward the series devolves into a coinage that scarcely resembles the inspired artworks of the early strikings, even though the design composition had not changed. The quality differential is so great that it often has been suggested that they were struck at different mints, with the fine-style pieces being produced in Syracuse and the poor style coins emanating from a mint that traveled with Agathocles' army during his North African invasion of 310-307 B.C.
The preliminary die-study of Michael Ierardi (AJN 7-8) does not preclude the idea that the fine-style and barbarous issues were separated by time, minting location, or both, as he was unable to find a die link between the two issues. However, if the barba- rous examples had been struck in Africa, it would be difficult to explain why they are found principally – if not exclusively – in Sicily, especially since Agathocles had left his army to fend for itself in Africa when he secretly returned to Syracuse in 307
B.C. Thus, it seems more likely that both issues were struck at Syracuse, perhaps in response to different needs.