SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Dekadrachm (34mm, 40.25 g, 5h). Unsigned dies in the style of Euainetos. Struck circa 405-380/67 BC. Good VF.

CNG Feature Auction 133
Lot: 88. Estimated: $ 15 000

Greek, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 20 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Dekadrachm (34mm, 40.25 g, 5h). Unsigned dies in the style of Euainetos. Struck circa 405-380/67 BC. Charioteer, wearing long chiton, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike, wearing long chiton, flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath held in her extended hands; below heavy exergual line, [military harness, shield], greaves, cuirass, and crested Attic helmet, all connected by a horizontal spear; [AΘΛA below] / Head of Arethousa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; ΣΥΡ-ΑΚ-[Ο-Σ-ΙΩΝ] above, pellet below chin, four dolphins swimming around. Scavino 62 (D19/R33); Gallatin dies R.XXII/J.IV; HGC 2, 1299; Bement 517 (same dies); Hunterian 54 (same dies); Rizzo pl. LIII, 17–8 (same dies). Toned, roughness and smoothing on obverse. Good VF. A lovely portrait of Arethousa.

Dionysios seized power in 405 BC and immediately set out to make Syracuse the greatest and most heavily fortified city in all Sicily. He was defending against the renewed imperialistic expansion of Carthage. Three times he defeated the Carthaginians, bringing further prestige and wealth to Syracuse. During his reign, the Syracusan navy became the most powerful in the Mediterranean, allowing Syracuse to expand her territorial control over much of southern Italy.

Dionysios reintroduced the large and ostentatious silver dekadrachms, a denomination that had not been used in Syracuse since the issue of the Demareteion type decades earlier. Dionysios entrusted two of the greatest local numismatic artists, Kimon and Euainetos, to design these impressive pieces. The regard for these coins in modern times is reflected by the fact that they are considered a must for any first-rank collection of Greek coins.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 133 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 15-16 September 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 133 – Session One – Lot 1-308 will be held Tuesday morning, 15 September 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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