Triton XIX, Lot: 2015. Estimate $7500. Sold for $17000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Gela. Circa 415-405 BC. AV Litra (9mm, 0.86 g, 1h). Forepart of bridled horse right / Head of female left, hair in ampyx, wearing single-pendant earring and necklace; ΣΩΣΙΠΟΛΙΣ to left. Jenkins, Gela, Group IX, 491.1 (O102/R198) = Jameson 590 (this coin); HGC 2, 336 (same dies as illustration); SNG ANS –; SNG Lloyd 980 (same dies); Basel –; Gulbenkian –; Rizzo pl. XIX, 9. Near EF, tiny nick at edge on reverse. Extremely rare, one of only four examples noted by Jenkins, with only two new pieces in CoinArchives (though one may be Jenkins 491.4).

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex James A. Ferrendelli Collection (Triton VII, 13 January 2004), lot 46; Numismatica Ars Classica 9 (16 April 1996), lot 156; Robert Jameson Collection, 590; Sir Arthur J. Evans Collection (before 1913).

Sosipolis appears as a male name in Greek texts, but the figure that appears named as such on Geloan coins is clearly female. She has been variously identified with a water nymph, a Tyche (patron goddess of a city), a Nike (goddess of Victory), and Demeter. Likely regarded as a multi-faceted goddess combining many attributes, she was protectress of the city of Gela. Her first appearance is in the 440s, crowning the bull of Gela with a wreath, signaling a victory over the native Sikels by a combined Greek army in which Gela played a significant role. Her second, and last, mention is a more somber occasion, a plea for divine intervention on an emergency coinage struck as Gela and many other Greek cities in the west and south of Sicily fell to the Carthaginians at the end of the 5th century BC. For a discussion of the dating of this issue, see C. Boehringer, "Die Finanzpolitik und Münzprägung des Dionysios von Syrakus" in Essays Thompson, pp. 15-17 and C. Boehringer, "Ehrenrettung einer syrakusanischen Goldmünze" in FlorNum, pp. 73-79.