Signed Syracusan bronze

[Di Nomos]

I don't usually start threads, but as I won't be purchasing many coins this year, I  thought I'd take the opportunity to show something new. I only have a compact collection of ancient Greek coins, and thought it would be remiss not to have at least one bronze.

I first saw this type in a NAC auction last year, and was staggered when it sold for 14,000 CHF, as beautiful as it was. That coin (and this) have the same artist's signature, and to be honest, I didn't realise the great Syracusan artist's signed bronze coin dies.

This is a hemilitron, c. 410 - 405 BC. 16mm, 3.57g. Arethusa on the obverse with a grain ear (partially on flan) behind. Reverse has wheel with four spokes, ethnic SYRA in top quarters, two dolphins below in bottom quarters.

On Aethusa's ampyx is the initial EY. Looking at others of the type, some say it's Eukleidas, others say Euainetos, but I'm pretty sure it's Eumenes. I have seen some tetradrachms with the same EY sig. attributed to him. The style also seems to be of his hand. But, it could be one of the others also.

Anyway, I think it's a very attractive portrait, and I now have a bronze and a signed artist coin from Syracuse, all in one. And whilst it wasn't cheap necessarily, it was a small fraction of 14,000 CHF! In hand it is a slightly lighter green, but a very pretty colour.

Thanks if you took the time to read or even just look at the picture, and feel free to post anything you like - bronze, Sicily, signed etc.

[Ryro]

Oooh, la, la! She's an all around stunner. Lovely portrait, reverse, toning and signed. Huge coingrats!

Here's a Hemilitron of mine from Syracuse for fun:

Sicily. Syracuse. Dionysos I (406-367 BC). AE Hemilitron. Obv. Head of Arethusa left, wearing necklace, hair bound in ampyx and sphendone; olive leaves behind. Rev. Dolphin swimming right; Σ Y P A and cockle shell below. CNS II 24/1-7; HGC 2 1480. AE. 2.58 g. 16.00 mm. Good VF.
Purchased from Artemide Aste Aug 2021

 

[ambr0zie]

Here is my only hemilitron from Syracuse

Sicily, Syracuse, 400-390 BC. Æ Hemilitron (20mm, 8.09g, 3h).

Head of Athena l., wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with wreath / Hippocamp l.

CNS II, 41; SNG ANS 434-46; HGC 2, 1456.

Edited April 7, 2023 by ambr0zie

[Deinomenid]

Lovely coin and one of the first Syracuse  bronzes too as a bonus.

There are some  great little coins signed by a variety of artists, including Kimon, Euianetos and Euarchidas, on little hemidrachms. They sell for a tiny fraction (pun sorry) of the price of their tets and in 2 of their cases decadrahms. I'm amazed at that 14k  price at NAC!  You can pick  up Euainetos signed hemidrachms for 1k and unsigned $500, not cheap but a lot cheaper than the  bigger  coins! 

 

Here's a little Euainetos, "signed" or initialed  E between the dolphins in the exergue..

Sicily, Syracuse. Second Democracy. Silver Hemidrachm (1.89 g), Ca. 405 BC. Charioteer holding kentron and reins, driving galloping quadriga right; above Nike flying left, crowning with wreath; in exergue, two confronted dolphins. Reverse: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, Head of Arethusa left, hair bound in sakkos and sphendone; dolphins before and behind.

 

 

 

 

 

[CPK]

Very nice coin @Di Nomos! Congratulations!

I've got the same type as @Ryro but mine isn't nearly as nice as his:

(this thread inspired me to take new photos)