Classical Numismatic
810. Naxos. Circa 450440 BC. AR Drachm (4.16 gm). Laureate head of Dionysos right / NAXION, Seilenos squatting left, holding kantharos in right hand. Cahn 58 (dies V42/R49); SNG Lloyd 1153 (same dies). Toned Fine. Rare. ($500)
Group, Inc.
814. Panormos. Circa 415/410405 BC. AR Didrachm (8.33 gm). [Π]ΑΝΟ-ΡΜΟΣ, dog standing right / Female head right, hair drawn up over head into a korymbos; crayfish behind. Jenkins SNR 50,5 (dies 03/R5); Jameson 688 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 1163. Toned VF. ($700)
N o t a b l e N a x o s Tetradrachm
811. Naxos. Circa 425 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.80 gm). Head of Dionysos right, wearing headband with ivy wreath / ΝΑΞΙΟΝ, naked Seilenos squatting right, head left, holding kantharos in right hand and thrysos in left; vine behind. Cahn 103 (dies V66/R85); SNG Lockett 843 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 493 (same dies). Toned EF, a slightly flat strike at forehead of Dionysos. Rare. ($14,000)
815. Panormos. Circa 410-405 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.72 gm). Charioteer driving walking quadriga right, holding kentron in right hand, reins in left; Nike flying above crowning horses / FLANORMl 1 IKON retrograde, laureate head of Apollo right. Jenkins SNR 50,6 (dies 02/R6); Rizzo pl.64,24. Good ($500) VF, old scratches on reverse, worn reverse die. Ex Hess-Leu Auktion 28 (May 1965), lot 75.
The Panormos tetradrachms of this time period were all copiedfrom other Sicilian tetradrachms (some sofaithfully that even signatures were copied). This particula 9 Ex Ariadne Calleries/Galerie Des Monnaies ofGeneva, Ltd. Auction (New York, example is a copy ofa Katana tetradrachm, cf. Dewing 581. December 1981), lot 38.
Naxos contin ued to exhibit a precociousness in its coinage after its initial headstart in the mid-6th century. It was at theforefront ofeach later development of the Sicilian style, and in tum struck masterpieces ofarchaic and classical numismatic art. The Dionysos of the tetradrachms of460 BC with its otherworldlyfaint "archaic smile" becomes totally human on this tetradrachm of425. His companion satyr, unsteady on his feet, regards his wine cup with the puffy-faced complacency of a confirmed toper. The humanness of the divine world is the hallmark of this great age of Greek art.
812. Naxos. Circa 410402 BC. AR Didrachm (7.79 gm). ΝΑΞΙΟΝ, laureate head of Apollo left, laurel leaf with berry behind / Seilenos squatting right, head left, holding kantharos in right hand; herm and branch right, ivy vine left. Cahn 107.6 (dies V70/R89 - this coin); Jameson 682 (this coin). Toned, good VF, moderate obverse roughness, reverse not as bad. Very rare. ($1200)
816. Panormos. Circa 405 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.20 gm). Charioteer driving galloping quadriga left, holding kentron in right hand, reins in left; Nikeflyingabove crowning charioteer, Punic legend sys in exergue / Female head right wearing triple pendant earring, hair in ampyx and sphendone decorated with two stars; four dolphins around. Jenkins, SNR 50,14 (dies 03/R13 - this coin). Toned, near EF. Very rare. ($1400)
Ex Walter Niggeler Collection (Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 3-4 DecemberEx Hess-Leu Auktion (April 1960), lot 103. 1965), lot 128; ex R. Jameson Collection; ex Sir Arthur J. Evans Collection. Like the previous lot, this coin is also copiedfrom another Sicilian tetradrachm, th time a Syracusan tetradrachm by the artist Eukleidas, cf. Tudeer 57.
AV 813. Naxos. Circa 410402 BC. AR Hemidrachm (2.09 gm). Laureate head of Apollo left / ΝΑΞΙΩΝ, Seilenos squatting left, holding kantharos in right hand, bunch of grapes in left. Cahn 126 (dies V77/R103). Toned VF. Very rare. ($1400)
817. Panormos. Circa 276 BC. AV Hemiobol or Twenty-fourth Stater (0.34 gm). Laureate head of Apollo with long flowing hair / Lyre, PA monogram right. SNG ANS 577. Near EF. Very rare. ($800)
Ex Sternberg Auktion XI (November 1981), lot 55 (realised 3200 swfr).
This small gold hemiobol, struck on the Attic standard, was probably a donative issue struck after the capture ofPanormos by PyrrhosofEpeiros. The hemiobol and c 124