Heads and tails on Syracusean coins

[Deinomenid]

This issue causes some confusion, so I thought I'd do a quick post to explain. Please  let me  know if  I have anything wrong.

The very earliest coins of Syracuse were tetradrachms, from around 510BC. There is some  debate about this but it is ~good to within 5 or 10 years. The polis was ruled at the  time by an oligarchy likely from a combination of the descendants of the earliest aristocratic settlers largely from Corinth some 200 years earlier, and those who had become wealthy subsequently, mostly from agricultural expansion into an exceptionally fertile area. The ruling class was known as the Gamoroi, a term is believed to be derived from the Greek word gamoros, meaning "landowner" or "landed gentry." They owned and controlled large portions of land and wielded significant political power. They often exploited and controlled the indigenous Sicel (or Siculi) population, who were typically forced into servitude or held a lower social status as tenant farmers known as kyllyrioi. The key for the coins is elite rule.

Elite rule, and rulers were closely associated with elite sports, especially horse races of various  kinds, partly simply  because it was so expensive to keep horses, let alone keep them for sport and let alone ship them to major festivals. This is likely the reason the very first coin of Syracuse, known as Boehringer 1, looked  like this. This is not my coin, though I would sell a lung for it. I believe it is is the only known example. (edited to show a second  v1 coin obverse, thanks to @Brennos as per his below post. So that's possibly 2 lungs, much more of a problem...)

 

This is the  only time that I'm aware of that a Syracuse tet had this "plain" reverse. What's important is that the quadriga is on the front - V being, I believe, for the German for Vorderseite - front side. It's on the front because that is what was valued as a symbol.

The reverse quickly evolved  into a windsail (or whatever you'd like to name it) with a small female head on it. By quickly, it was literally the very next reverse. The following coin  is mine and extremely early, Boehringer 8. These coins are highly likely to show an indication of the polis' rulers' participation in the Delphi and Olympia etc games though we  only  have proof of this participation a tiny bit later under the first Deinomenid tyrants.

Here though the key is the reverse of the tetradrachm, where a local spring goddess or nymph is highlighted by the small medallion in the middle - the head of Arethusa. It is only conjecture or reasoned guessing that she was added as acknowledgement of a key local "goddess", a symbol of the city, maybe as a protector.

 

 

However the point has hopefully been established that the obverse = the key bragging rights and quickly-known symbol of their coinage, the reverse as a nod to the local nymph or goddess. What was in need of protecting from the hammer blow was the prestigious side.

Arethusa (or sometimes others such as Persephone/Demeter/Athena) was for over 100 years the one receiving the hammer blow. 100 years and a VAST output of coinage. There are 728 of these so-called Boehringer coins, the vast majority of which are tetradrachms. A few more  have been added to the corpus since, especially  through the Randazzo Hoard, but anyway the type persisted, even with some truly elegant reverse heads being bashed at including the Demareteion masterpieces.

One example of mine is below, a type which Boehringer drooled over. Yep, that lovely face bashed with the hammer.

Boehringer 477

After the ~740 "Boehringer" tets comes the time of the signing masters, covered by the Finnish expert Tudeer and very roughly 415-395BC. This is a curious mixture of beautiful and acquired-taste coins, with the main defining thread being that  many of them are of course signed.

 

However this is the period when the switch from chariot obverse to "Arethusa" head began, and it likely started with attempts at truer beauty. Caveat, this attempt often failed.  In the translated words of Boehringer - What appears to one as a blossom is perhaps already beginning decay to another. The heads that now follow, with their soft, often swollen faces, the curls that free themselves here and there and soon everywhere, the fronts with the too many lines and movements of the first boring, then too restless teams, perhaps arouse the interest of the researcher in their artistic, great virtuosity, but they are not infrequently poor in artistic content.

However, amongst the mix was the extraordinary  Eukleides, whose skill was exceptional. In "Eukleides, Ein Goldschmit?" (M R-Alfoldi) his work is described as follows -

"....other artists, above all Euainetos, like to model larger, sculpturally combined smooth and generous surfaces. How Eukleides then emerges with his three-quarter front view solution will probably never be determined but the solution is technically and artistically difficult, which is why it is also appealing to the expert: the artist has to create several levels on a low relief height in order to do justice to the perspective. Such a relief is actually always problematic on coins, because it is rubbed off more quickly than other coin images due to its unusual height. In addition, the die must be cut unusually deeply. If it is also used as an upper die, it is less protected from the impact pressure than the lower die. One of the Athena types of Eukleidas is a classic example of these technological problems. The stamp breaks immediately, and we can even see the thread tear widening on the small series until the stamp bursts after just a few pieces. (pl. I, 6-7).

This is it folks! The moment that change was being considered, as an incredible artistic effort was bashed and damaged by a hammer, with the result below -

These coins are around 405BC and by classification are ~Tudeer 58. A few more were attempted on the same old basis, face hammered, until we see the famous works of Kimon at about the same date with.....the image of the goddess on the obverse! [Not my coin.]

The change in minting process was not complete  however- the famous dekadrachms continued to have their various iterations with the goddess on the reverse, despite the quality of the dies, but the thought was at least there, and in a highly conservative minting context the next great production of tetradrachms, those of Agathokles, were, finally, switched to quadriga reverse.

 

SICILY. Syracuse. Agathokles, 317-289 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 16.78 g), circa 310-305.

 

If it looks like I skipped madly ahead from the late tetradrachms of the 405-400BC period to suddenly 310BC that is because there was no siginficant Syracusean production of tets through that entire near century. The main output of that missing period was under Timoleon and the 3rd Democracy, with a mixture of bronze, silver staters, dilitrons, some gold etc, with some quadriga/horse front, and some reverse.

eg

SICILY, Syracuse, (344-317 B.C.), Timoleon and the Third Democracy silver stater, (8.58 g), struck on the Corinthian standard, goddess reverse

or

SICILY. Syracuse. Timoleon, 344-337 BC. Dilitron (Silver, 13 mm), horse reverse

 

I hope this is of some use, and I'm delighted to change whatever is needed, for error or for omission. It was strangely difficult to piece it all together - if there's a single source full explanation I couldn't find it and various commentators (and most certainly catalogers!) mix up some of the later obverses and reverses. All coins are mine unless shown in plates or otherwise stated.

 I'm a sucker for any relevant coin, damaged by the hammer or not, so please  feel free to add anything you see appropriate.

Edited November 24, 2024 by Deinomenid
new info

[Ryro]

Wonderful write up! And I'm oober jealous of your early Syracuse tet with Arethusa in the wind mill!

This was an enlightening write up and truly appreciated. I just don't get folks that don't see/miss the beauty in these coins😕 Thanks for sharing😃

Not damaged by the hammer but a good example of the die and coin making processes, here's my best Syracusian tet, one of my all time favorite coins, and a coin that I wouldn't have if my good bud @Roman Collector hadn't talked me into going to a coin show:

Sicily, under the tyrant Gelon Silver tetradrachm (16.91 gr, 25 mm)

Obv: Slow quadriga being driven r. by male charioteer, Nike above crowning horses

Rev: Head of Artemis-Arethusa right, 4 dolphins around legend, ΣVRAKOΣI-ON

Popular type. Boeh-353, SNG-113 Toned VF, obverse somewhat grainy. Purchased from Bill Rosenblum March 2022

Edited November 19, 2024 by Ryro

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

Thank you so much for this write-up, that clarifies things and I didn’t know about the Eukleidas and the die break. That’s a gorgeous one, and the OG 3/4, Euainetos is going to be sued for plagiarism 😉 

[taja1948]

Here is one of mine, bought for the pedigree.

SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysios I, 405-367 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 17.12 g, 3 h), in the style of Eukleidas, c. 399-387. Charioteer driving quadriga to left; above, Nike flying right, crowning the charioteer; in exergue, dolphin to left . Rev. ΣYPAKOΣIΩN Head of Arethousa to left, wearing double-loop earring and plain necklace with pendant; around, four dolphins. SNG ANS 300 (same dies). Tudeer 104 f' (this coin). Well centered, lightly toned and of pleasing style. About very fine.

From the collection of W. F. Stoecklin, Amriswil, Switzerland, acquired from Münzen und Medaillen in the late 1940s or 1950s, and from the collection of the Princes of Waldeck in Arolsen, Münzhandlung Basel 4, 1 October 1935, 519

[taja1948]

And another...

SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 17.26 g, 7h). Dies signed by Eu–. Struck circa 415-409 BC. Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in both, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with laurel wreath held in both hands; EV below horses; in exergue, two dolphins confronted / Head of Arethousa left, wearing hook earring and pearl necklace; ΣYPAKOΣIOИ above, EV below neck, four dolphins swimming around. Fischer-Bossert, Coins 28 (V10/R19); Tudeer 28; HGC 2, 1328; SNG Lloyd 1371 = Virzi Sale 294; Dewing 842; McClean 2706; J. Hirsch XIX, lot 257 (all from the same dies). Good VF, old cabinet tone, slight die wear on obverse. Very rare, only 9 examples noted by Fischer-Bossert.


From the DMS Collection, purchased from Catherine Bullowa. Lot includes an old Spink stock ticket.

[taja1948]

And finally, my favorite....

Tetradrachm (Silver, 16.97 g 1), c. 485-483. Male charioteer wearing a long chiton and holding a goad in his right hand and the reins in both, driving a walking quadriga to right; above, Nike flying right to crown the horses. Rev. : Head of Arethusa to right, wearing necklace and pearl diadem, and with her hair tied in a krobylos which is bound up and falls over the diadem; around, four dolphins swimming clockwise. Boehringer 45. Rizzo pl. XXXIV, 22 var. Very rare. Attractively toned. About extremely fine.

Ex Leu 81, 16 May 2001, 101 and from the collections of N.B. Hunt, II, Sotheby´s 21 June 1990, 246 and C. Gillet, 531, ex Ars Classica XVI, 3 July 1933, 651.

[Deinomenid]

 

1 hour ago, taja1948 said:

Boehringer 45.

I stole this gif from another forum (I think la moneta) and can’t now recall whose it was to properly credit them but it is of your last coin’s reverse against the famous Jenkins Gela reverse for 104, with the - likely - theory that Gelon brought his engraver with him when he conquered Syracuse.

[taja1948]

Thank you for the additional information!

[Phil Davis]

12 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

These coins are around 405BC and by classification are ~Tudeer 58. 

 

I love the reverse of Tudeer 58, with Nike using the horses' heads as stepping-stones, rather than wasting energy flying!

[taja1948]

Quite the balancing act!

[AncientJoe]

Excellent post, @Deinomenid!

[Brennos]

great post 👍

FYI a scond specimen of Boehringer 1 appeared on the market a few years ago.

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1995151

This coin (Boehringer 1 in Berlin) has long been considered dubious.

 

[Deinomenid]

4 hours ago, Brennos said:

This coin (Boehringer 1 in Berlin) has long been considered dubious.

Many thanks - I had missed the second B1 obverse as possibly a separate and only valid first coin rather than more as a missing link to Boehringer 2.  I edited the top post. Just for my knowledge, was the doubt beyond Fischer-Bossert? The die linkage and stylistic comment? I wasn't sure if any consensus (such as there can be!) had emerged. Not that it affects this thread - just curious. The NAC blurb says it's the same obverse, and the difference is "only" an evolving reverse, so seems confirmatory of the Berlin one. Not that NAC know more than FB,  but wouldn't it imply if one was off stylistically on the obverse they both were and vice versa?

Edited November 24, 2024 by Deinomenid

[Brennos]

I think that since H. Cahn in 1979 who said he had examined and confirmed the authenticity of the coin, there is no more doubt.

But K. Regling, H Gaebler and especially G. E. Rizzo (in Saggi Preliminari) doubted its authenticity in the 30s and after. I think it's Christof Boehringer who addresses the issue in one of his articles but I don't remember which one...

[Anaximander]

I refer a lot to ANS publications when looking up attributions of Syracuse, both their SNG ANS (Part 5) and the Dewing volume in their Ancient Coins in North American Collections series. There's more than 1000 Syracusan coins on jumbo-sized 35 plates in SNG ANS 5, so it's no surprise that there are sub-headings. I'll go in sequence:

The 'Pre-Tyrant' period (510-485). That first 'plain' reverse coin in @Deinomenid's OP is not in ANS, but there are a handful of the next type, with the small head of Arethusa, and three more in Dewing.  My kidney for one of those, please!  

The Deinomenid Tyranny (485-466 BC) Behold the name to which the OP pays homage! My first two tetradrachms are those of Hieron I. Arethusa's archaic eye marks this as one of those early issues, very much like that of the lovely example of @taja1948, above.  This is SNG ANS 5 #41-42. 

  

Syracuse, Deinomenid Tyranny, Hieron I. 485-466 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.26ᵍᵐ 23.0ᵐᵐ 3ʰ) c. 478-475 BC. Charioteer driving slow quadriga right, Nike above, flying right, crowning horses. / Head of Arethusa right, hair in krobylos bound by taenia of pearls and wearing pearl necklace, four dolphins around, ΣVRΑΚΟΣ-ΙΟ-Ν (inward). gVF. Bt. Den of Antiquity, London Coin Fair, Bloomsbury, 2014.  Boehringer Syrakus gp.3 series VIIIb #146. (V65/R100); Randazzo 310 var. (-N); SNG ANS 5 #41-42 (same obv. die); HGC 2 #1307 (same). Same dies:  Jameson 1908; Cosimo 209; Norman Davis Coll #49 = CNG 94 #106. 

 

Syracuse, Deinomenid Tyranny, Hieron I 485-466 вс. AR Tetradrachm (17.37ᵍᵐ 24.3ᵐᵐ 5ʰ) of 478-475 вс. Charioteer driving slow quadriga right, Nike flying above, crowning horses. / Head of Arethusa right, hair in krobylos bound by taenia and wearing pearl necklace, four dolphins around. Σꓦꓤ-ΑΚΟ-ΣΙΟ-Ν (R inverted). gVF. CNG 81 #153.  Ex-Stacks (7 Mar. 2006) #586; Ex-CNG Web Shop #77060.  SNG ANS 5 #63 (same obv. die); Boehringer Syrakus gp.3 series IXa #198 (V88/R137); Dewing 722 (same dies); HGC 2 #1306. cf. Roma Num. E18 #94 (same dies); NAC A110 #10 (same obv. die).

 

 

 

 

 

The Second Democracy (466-406 BC) My personal favorite is from this period. It has been described as a transitional issue. 

 

Syracuse, Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.21ᵍᵐ 27.8ᵐᵐ 5ʰ), 450-440 BC. Charioteer driving slow quadriga right, Nike above, crowning horses. ex: ketos (sea serpent) right. / Head of Arethusa right, hair bound by wide taenia, wearing earring and necklace; four dolphins around. ΣV-RΑΚΟΣ-Ι-Ο-Ͷ (inward, Ν retrograde). EF. Apollo Rare Coins, 1999.  "19 known." SNG Lockett 941 (same dies); Bement 475 (same dies); Boehringer gp.4 series XVIb #564 (V285/R379); HGC 2 #1311; SNG Munchen 1023 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 1326 (same rev. die); Dewing 808 (same obv. die). SNG ANS - ; SNG Cop - ; cf. NAC 82 #56 (same dies); Baldwin 75 #2158.

 

 

 

If we're sticking to tetradrachms, I strike out with Dionysios I (405-395) and Third Democracy & Timoleon (344-317 BC), of whom I have Corinthian-style staters. 

Syracuse, Third Democracy & Timoleon. 341-317 BC. AR Stater (8.53ᵍᵐ 21.5ᵐᵐ 4ʰ). Pegasus flying left./ Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ (inward) to right. gVF. Bt. Louis diLauro, Coral Gables, 2000. Calciati Pegasi II p.607 #2; Cahn Basel 498; ACNAC Dewing 930-931; HGC 2 #1400; SNG ANS 5 #494; SNG Cop 1 (Sicily) #711; SNG Delepierre 689-692. cf. CNG 64 #62 & Triton XIX #61 (same dies). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syracuse, Third Democracy & Timoleon. 341-317 BC. AR Stater (8.55 gm, 21.5mm, 2h). Pegasus flying left./ Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ (inward) to right. EF. Bt. Louis diLauro, Coral Gables. SNG ANS 5 #499 (same dies); Cahn Basel 498; Calciati Pegasi II p.607 #2 (same dies); HGC 2 #1400; SNG Cop 1 (Sicily) #711; SNG Delpierre 690 (same dies). cf. Nomos 17 #54 (same obv. die).

Edited November 26, 2024 by Anaximander
Completed the list of Syracusan tetradrachms & added Timoleon staters.

[kirispupis]

There's a whole bunch of these in the latest Triton.

Since I know how much you enjoy them, I won't bid on any. 🙂

[Deinomenid]

1 hour ago, kirispupis said:

Triton

In a new low, CNG made me just watch a YouTube advert (for lawnmowers as it happens)  as the  link for their decadrachms etc goes there rather than Vimeo or whatever! Times must be tough….

“Here’s a great Aegina turtle, but wait! For only $99.99 you can lose or gain weight….”

[Deinomenid]

Triton also has a copy of a copy for sale at great expense! Tenedos.

A copy of a Slavey. Not my spot but number 273. That’s fantastic to sell a fake of a fake.

[robinjojo]

Nice thread!

There seems to have been a definite decline in the quality of the Syracusan tetradrachms of the Second Democracy.  The flans became very irregular, and the dies, while of some artistic merit for the portraits mostly, appear to have been used well beyond their life expectancy.  The strikes became markedly sloppy as well.

Here are a couple of Second Democracy tetradrachms acquired over the past several years.

Syracuse, tetradrachm, Second Democracy, c. 450 BC.  From Roma E-Sale 80, lot 79.

SNG ANS 164

17.19 grams

I need to redo this image to shift the chariot side to the obverse position.  Ditto for the second coin.

 

Syracuse, tetradrachm, Second Democracy, 466-405 BC.  From CNG e-Auction 518, lot 31.

16.92 grams

 

Syracuse, tetradrachm, Agathokles, 317-310 BC.

17.0 grams  

The quality overall did improve under this tyrant.  The style certainly harkens back to the period of decadrachm minting.

Edited December 1, 2024 by robinjojo

[Deinomenid]

2 hours ago, robinjojo said:

The flans became very irregular, and the dies, while of some artistic merit for the portraits mostly, appear to have been used well beyond their life expectancy.

It's so true and  one of the easiest ways of detecting forgeries of this period is if they are regular, not worn etc, such as  coins that appear from these modern dies.

Or even this mashup -

[robinjojo]

Interesting!  Those are the first modern dies that I've even seen.

That last set of dies roughly approximate a tetradrachm that I've owned for a few years now:

Syracuse, tetradrachm, Second Democracy, 466-405 BC.

16.80 grams

This example has some corrosion and horn silver, which is rock hard.

[Deinomenid]

31 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

Those are the first modern dies that I've even seen.

There are unfortunately very many. Katz (who were so publicly threatening to one of our members a while ago) sells them. I tried to buy a few to get them off the market but they are so easy to make it was pointless. I just take photos of any I see and save them. If you  don't mind being terrified, the Carabinieri Command for Cultural Heritage Protection -Palermo Nucleus has some reports on this. Here's a good one for arguably the most sought-after (aka impossible to legally acquire) Sicilian coin - if the original was real itself, which is debated! 

 

[Deinomenid]

On 11/30/2024 at 6:59 PM, robinjojo said:

I need to redo this image to shift the chariot side to the obverse position.  Ditto for the second coin.

This reminds me of an excellent Celator article (sorry, my reply seemed to have  got lost) and I should clarify before  I copy and paste it that my intent in this thread was only to show/explain which side was technically the obverse and which the reverse. Which order anyone  chooses to show them in is  entirely their own  business and Wayne Sayles took much apparent offense to anyone dictating that the technicalities of minting should affect the way  we should actually look at coins. Not sure if this is ok to show,  but it's a fun article and I'll take it down or precis it if there are objections as I can't get the link to work reliably -

 

I was recently chided by a colleague that my decision to illustrate Corinthian staters with the head of Athena as the obverse instead of the reverse is “too tacky for words and is an unacceptable insult to [my] numismatic readers.” Fortunately, this comes from a friend, my enemies would not have been so kind. So it goes in the world of numismatic semantics. In A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Coins, Professor John Melville Jones tells us that the words obversus (turned toward) and reversus (turned away) describe “the more and less important sides of a coin” He further explains that in Greek coinage “the obverse bears the head of a deity or ruler, or the recognised heraldic emblem of the city, while the reverse bears an obviously less important type...” In other words, the “head and tail” of the coin. Let us call this explanation the art historical approach. Jones goes on to say that when in doubt it can be assumed that the obverse type was struck by the lower or anvil die. Let us call this the technical approach. There normally is not a contradiction between these two approaches to determining the obverse, since most Greek coins were struck with the predominant motif engraved into the anvil die.  However, there are exceptions to the rule—aren't there always?  Certain coins, notably the staters of Corinth and its colonies and some silver coins of Sicily, were struck with the primary motif engraved into the punch die.  This does not present a problem when one holds the coin and turns it with admiration—as the artistry of both sides is enjoyed.
It is in the process of illustrating coins that we run into a quandry.  By convention, numismatists illustrate the obverse of a coin to the left and the reverse to the right.  So the art historian sees a Corinthian stater differently than the technical numismatist.  One might ask what difference it makes whether the obverse is set to right or left?  The answer is that conventions ease our ability to communicate about coins.  Few disciplines are more deeply rooted in tradition than numismatics.  We call coins of the Romaioi “Byzantine” even though it is widely acknowledged that the term is a complete misnomer.  Why?  Tradition.  We catalogue Greek coins in a completely irrational and confusing way rather than simply by alphabetical arrangement.  Why?  Because it has been the accepted convention since the 18th century—more tradition.  These are not issues of real substance, but they are defended tenaciously by some who value the conventions of a certain scholarly tradition.  At the root of this is a sort of ultra-conservatism that rejects external influence or innovation.  Taking the silver stater of Corinth as an example, it is obvious to the most casual observer that the image of Athena is the “head” side of the coin, while the image of Pegasus is the “tail” side.  In terms of importance, Athena could never be relegated to a status lower than that of a horse, even if it were a very special horse.  Why should we portray a coin of Athens with the head of Athena on the left and then portray the same basic iconography at Corinth with the head of Athena on the right?  Because a die engraver in antiquity felt that the image was struck up better if it was engraved into one die or the other?  In reality, it does not matter which image is engraved into the anvil die.  Either way, the result is a coin with two sides, bearing two images, one of which takes precedence over the other.  It is this precedence of imagery which should in every case distinguish the obverse from the reverse. Numismatists working in the field of Islamic coinage face a similar situation  Most Islamic coins do not bear images at all, but they still have an obverse and reverse.  By convention, the side of a coin bearing the Kalimah or profession of faith is always considered the obverse—the predominant side of the coin—regardless of whether it was engraved into the anvil die or the punch die.  We would do well to adopt such a practical approach in the field of classical numismatics.  What is wrong with heads to the left tails to the right?  Oh, I forgot, it is too tacky for words. We have been burdened with some archaic conventions in numismatics for too long.  At a time when only academicians and nobility pursued the hobby, some of these conventions may have served as a mark of learning and erudition.  However, the growth of ancient coin collecting as a hobby of all classes has opened new opportunities for common sense to challenge irrational traditions.  Portraying staters of Corinth with the image of Pegasus to the left  does not follow any rational scheme.  Anyone who knows enough about these coins to care which side is struck from the anvil die will already know the answer. It is important that we have standards to guide us in presentation and in such tasks as cataloguing.  But, it is not productive to slavishly stand by outdated terms, centuries old logic and arcane methodology just for the sake of tradition.  Even the fiddler on the roof knew that tradition is an evolving characteristic of the human experience. First published in The Celator, November 2000

[robinjojo]

Thanks.  The Syracusan decadrachms with the quadriga/arms below are an interesting case in the obverse - reverse issue.  Clearly the quadriga side is very political in nature, a clear reference to Syracuse's victory, with help from Sparta, over Athens during the Peloponnesian War.  In that respect that's the obverse side, and that is the most common way that these coins are displayed.  However, the "money side", using a term from Aaron Berk, is almost always the Arethusa side.  So, arguably that should be the obverse, and Imagine many collectors choose it for the obverse.  That would be my choice for these coins.

Edited December 7, 2024 by robinjojo

[Aziz]

Very informative thread, The Syracusan Tetradrachm is my favorite and it’s my next project to get one of this artistic beauty