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SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles. 317-289 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (15.5mm, 5.70 g, 11h). Struck circa 304-289 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a griffin, single-pendant earring, and pearl necklace / Winged thunderbolt; AΓAΘOKΛEOΣ above, [B]AΣIΛEOΣ and T in two lines below. Bérend, l'or 10 (D4/R3); BAR Issue 29; HGC 2, 1535; Sartiges 148 (same dies). Faintly toned, small mark on obverse. Near EF.
Ex MACM inventory MMoCA11C; Gemini VI (10 January 2010), lot 45; Classical Numismatic Group 72 (14 June 2006), lot 197; Münzen und Medaillen AG XXVIII (19 June 1964), lot 82; Ars Classica XVII (3 October 1934), lot 276; Frank S. Benson Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge 3 February 1909), lot 375.
The coinage of Syracuse during the long reign of Agathokles, first as tyrant of Syracuse and later as self-proclaimed King of Sicily, saw a flowering of new types and denominations clearly influenced by royal issues throughout the Hellenistic kingdoms to the east. Herakles, Apollo, and Athena were commonly found on his issues, and he even issued an unprecedented series of electrum. His final phase of coinage saw the royal title of Basileos used for the first time on coins of Syracuse, notably on this gold piece, variously described as an oktobol, a 100-litrai piece, or a double-dekadrachm. The obverse depicting a helmeted Athena was closely modeled on contemporary gold staters of Alexander III the Great and the other Diadochi. The reverse, depicting a winged thunderbolt along with the name and royal title of Agathokles, may be an oblique reference to his contemporary ruler Pyrrhos of Epeiros, who was married to Lanassa, daughter of Agathokles, in 295 BC, and who also employed a winged thunderbolt on his coinage. The weight was about two-thirds that of a Attic-weight Macedonian gold stater.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 13 May at 9 AM ET.
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