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Lot 2484
Greek Coins from the Nth QLD Collector - Silver & Bronze
Sold
AU$8,500
Starting Bid: AU$1,800
Est.
AU$3,000
Live Auction
Sale 136
Live bidding began Jul 30, 2024 at 9:30 AM AEST
Description
Sicily, Thermai Himerenses, (c.400-350 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (16.45 g), obv. charioteer driving a quadriga of rearing horses to left, holding kentron in right hand, reins in left hand, Nike flying above and crowning charioteer, Greek legend [QER]MITAN in exergue, above exergue line [K]LH, rev. female nymph head to right crowned with swamp reeds leaves and placed in a sphendone, wearing single finely styled pendant earring and necklace, three dolphins around, (S.- (820), Jenkins, SNR 50, 6 [same dies, dies 04/R5, Pl.22], Pennisi ZfN 1935, Pl.IX, 1 [same dies], cf.Hirsch Sale XXX May 11, 1911 (lot 359 same reverse die], NFA Sale XXX, [same dies, lot 26 realised US$5750], Head, 2nd Edn. p.146 notes the Sambon piece). Light grey tone, good very fine/very fine, off centred on reverse, tight flan, very rare.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 118, lot 1593. Previously Numismatic Ars Classica Auction I, Zurich May 19, 1999 (lot 1233) and the Hannibal Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 112, (lot 3830) and Sale 64 (lot 2418).

Jenkins records only two examples of this coin struck from these dies with only twenty recorded Thermai tetradrachms known. A hoard has provided several more examples including this piece.

The signature KLH of the engraver has been suggested to be that of the master engraver Kletias. The issue followed the destruction of Himera in 409 B.C. and the population that fled were allowed to settle at Thermai next to the hot springs. This new city was also inhabited by Carthaginians who dominated that city. The city was allowed to strike a very small quantity of coinage similar in manner to that struck by other Sicilian Carthaginian mints. Only four obverse and five reverse dies are known for the coinage.