marsmike
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Registered: July 2004
Location: Virginia
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Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.31 g 8), c. 420-415. Charioteer, holding goad in his right hand, driving quadriga moving slowly to left; above, Nike flying left to crown the horses. Rev. Forepart of bearded, man-faced bull to right, his right knee bent as if lying down.
Jenkins 473.9 (this coin, illustrated on pl. 27 and with the reverse shown in an enlargement on pl. 51).
Kraay/Hirmer 162 (this coin, but note that in the text this coin is mistakenly cited as being Jenkins 471). SNG ANS 93.
Rare. Lightly toned. With a reverse of exceptional beauty, perfectly engraved in the best classical style.
As usual, obverse weakly struck from a worn die, otherwise, good extremely fine.
Ex. LHS 102, lot 59 (29 April 2008), from the Star collection.
Ex. Numismatica Ars Classica 18, 29 March 2000, 85.
Ex. Numismatica Ars Classica 9, 16 April 1996, 154.
Chronologically, the main coinage of Gela lasted for less than 100 years, ranging from early in the 5th century down until 405; stylistically, the coinage ranges from the archaic to early classical and on until the full classical at its best. Unfortunately, throughout this time span the city employed engravers of highly variable abilities: some were brilliant and among the best working in Sicily, others were simply hacks who produced, especially in the middle period, dies that were almost caricatures of their better-made prototypes. The reverse die of this piece is an absolute triumph of the engraverīs art: every detail is beautifully delineated and the expression on the face of the river god is of a serene power characteristic of the Classical age. Here we have a river god who is calm, but not subservient, and ready to help his city; rather than the more violent and unpredictable looking creature found on many of the archaic and earlier classical dies.
Photo and description courtesy LHS (www.lhs-numismatik.com)
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