10/03/2025
SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Dekadrachm (35mm, 43.34 g, 7h). Obverse and reverse dies signed by Kimon. Struck circa 405-400 BC. Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with laurel wreath held in her extended hands; below heavy exergual line inscribed KIMΩN (only traces visible, as usual), a shield, greaves, cuirass, and Attic helmet, all connected by a horizontal spear; [AΘΛA below] / Head of Arethousa left, wearing single-pendant earring and necklace, hair restrained in an ampyx, inscribed K, and open-weave sakkos; ΣΥΡAΚΟΣΙΩ behind hair, four swimming dolphins around, the bottom dolphin inscribed KIMΩN. Jongkees 3 (dies A/γ); Scavino 3; Regling, Dekadrachmon 3; HGC 2, 1298; SNG Lockett 988; Basel 479; BMC 202–3; Boston MFA 432 = Warren 355; Dewing 869 = Bement 511; Gillet 645; Gulbenkian 303; Hunt III 27 = Gillet 646; Hunterian 64; Jameson 819; Kraay & Hirmer 118; de Luynes 1243; McClean 2734; Rizzo pl. L, 3; Pozzi 610; Ward 291; Weber 1612 (all from the same dies). Beautiful old collection tone, only a little of the usual die rust on obverse. Near EF. A masterpiece of the die engraver's art.
