Stunning Artistry
MACEDON, Mende. Circa 460-423 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 17.34 g, 12h). Inebriated Dionysos, wearing chiton draped from his waist, holding in right hand a kantharos propped on his right knee, reclining left, head right, on the back of an ass standing right; grape bunch on vine below / MEN-ΔA-I-ON within shallow incuse square around vine of four grape clusters on square tablet. Noe,
Mende, Group III, unlisted variety; HGC 3, 547 var. (unlisted variety with grape bunch on obv.); Athena Fund II 375 (same dies); NFA XXVII, lot 46 (same obv. die). Lovely iridescent cabinet tone, light roughness and double strike on reverse. Near EF. A stunning obverse. Extremely rare variety with grape bunch on obverse.
Ex Alexander the Great Collection; Künker 376 (18 October 2022), lot 4454; Künker 318 (11 March 2019), lot 591; G. Hirsch 171 (25 September 1991), lot 151.
The Dionysiac types of Mende proclaim it as a famous wine producing city, as attested by its amphoras that have been found throughout the Mediterranean. On this delightful coin Dionysos, who rules wine and winemaking, is shown being carried home drunk from a symposium, a representation of careless joy which links the world of men with the Olympians – at least until the morning.
