Ancient Gold - Greek

Sale 122    19–21 Nov 2019   Dixson Room, State Library of NSW   Sydney

  PrevNext  

Lot 2994    SESSION 11 (9.30AM THURSDAY 21ST NOV)    Ancient Gold - Greek

Estimate $8,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $11,000

SICILY, Syracuse, Reign of Hiketas, (288-279 B.C.), gold dekadrachm, (4.25 g), obv. head of Persephone to left, with hair rolled and wreathed with corn, poppy behind, **QE* below neck, to left **SURAKOSIWN*, rev. galloping biga driven to right by Nike, crescent above, **Q* below, **EPI IKETA in exergue (cf.S.978, Buttrey, [Num. Chron. 1973], 2-D, SNG Fitz. 1362 [same dies]). Extremely fine and very rare.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 94, lot 4672. Previously Gorny & Mosch Auction 180, lot 63.
Little is known of Hiketas beyond his coinage, but Buttrey in Morgantina Studies "The Coins" pieced together a history based on the numismatic evidence. Following Hiketas's defeat of Phintias, tyrant of Akragas, he set out against the Carthaginians. This campaign ended in disaster at the Terias river, northwest of Syracuse. Buttrey, based on his die analysis, concludes that this gold issue was struck very hurriedly towards the end of Hiketas's reign, and theorizes that this series was issued to pay for his Carthaginian campaign.

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 2992  

    CELTIC, Bituriges (Avaricum area), (c.100-50 B.C.), gold quarter stater, ( 1.61 ), obv. Celtic head ...

    Estimate $100

  • Lot 2993  

    CELTIC, Pictones (Poitiers area), (c.100-50 B.C), electrum stater (6.19 g), obv. head of Ogmios right, ...

    Estimate $500

  • Lot 2994   This lot

    SICILY, Syracuse, Reign of Hiketas, (288-279 B.C.), gold dekadrachm, (4.25 g), obv. head of Persephone ...

    Estimate $8,000

  • Lot 2995  

    SICILY, Syracuse, Hieron II (275-215 B.C.), gold sixty litrai - dekadrachm (4.29 g), struck circa ...

    Estimate $6,000

  • Lot 2996  

    MACEDON, Kingdom of, Alexander III, (336-323 B.C.), gold stater, (8.47 g), Callatis mint, issued c.250-225 ...

    Estimate $3,500