Greek Silver & Bronze Coins
Lot 4971 Session 16 (9.30am Friday) Greek Silver & Bronze Coins
Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,900
SICILY, Syracuse, Philistis wife of Hieron II (275-215 B.C.), silver sixteen litrai, (13.23 grams), issued 217-215 B.C., obv. diademed and veiled head of Philistis to left, rev. quadriga to right driven by Nike with horses walking, above A**F* and **BASILISSAS*, below **FILISTIDOS*, (S.989, cf.SNG ANS 872-3, Caltabiano [QT XIX] p.169, 175 note the letters], not in A. Burnett, "The Enna Hoard and the silver coinage of the Syracusan Democracy," SNR 62 [1983], -). Bright, minor cleaning marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine/extremely fine and rare.
Ex Freeman & Sear USA with their ticket. After a long and distinguished reign marked by moderation and stability, Hieron II was sufficiently assiduous to avoid any imperial aspirations in favour of loyalty to Rome, the prosperity of his people and family. In 218-216, while the Second Punic War was raging in Italy, he provided a powerful counterweight to any Carthaginian ambitions. He not only cooperated at sea with the Republic, but sent a contingent of 1500 troops and money in the form of a newly reformed currency in silver and gold, based on multiples of the traditional Sicilian silver unit of about 0.86 gram, the litra. The most numerous issue of this new coinage was that in the name of his queen, Philistis, with her head shown wearing the royal diadem below a veil that inevitably recalls the portrait of Arsino? II at Alexandria. Nike as the charioteer of the reverse biga is obviously auspicious of final victory.
Estimate / sale price does not include buyer's premium (currently 22% including GST) which is added to hammer price. All bids are executed on the understanding that the Terms & Conditions of sale have been read and accepted. For information on grading and estimates please refer to the Buying at Auction advice.
Quick find
View a lot by number and sale.
Adjacent lots
Lot 4969
SICILY, Syracuse, (317-289 B.C.), silver stater, (6.73 grams), obv. head of Athena to right wearing ...
Estimate $600
Lot 4970
SICILY, Syracuse, (275-215 B.C.), silver sixteen litrai, (13.09 grams), obv. diademed and veiled head to ...
Estimate $800
Lot 4971 This lot
SICILY, Syracuse, Philistis wife of Hieron II (275-215 B.C.), silver sixteen litrai, (13.23 grams), issued ...
Estimate $1,500
Lot 4972
SICILY, Syracuse, Philistis wife of Hieron II (275-215 B.C.), silver five litrai, (4.47 grams), issued ...
Estimate $400
Lot 4973
SICILY, Syracuse, (before 357 B.C.), AE 17, (4.670 grams), obv. head of Arethusa to left, ...
Estimate $100