Arethusa / Octopus
Syracuse (Sicily) - Litra
Description
Obverse: Head of Arethusa right, wearing pendant earring, beaded pearl taenia, and beaded pearl necklace; hair looped up under taenia
Reverse: Octopus
A spectacular little litra, certainly one of the finest known of this type. I really love the detail on this octopus, the self intersecting tentacles and membrane are incredibly detailed.
Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | Silver |
| Issuer | Syracuse |
| Ruling Authority | Second Democracy (466 BC - 405 BC) |
| Period of Issue | 466 BC - 460 BC |
| Weight | 0.8 g |
| Diameter | 12 mm |
| Orientation | ↑↑ 3h |
| Denomination | 1 Litra |
| Standard | Sicilian Litra |
| References | Boehringer #415-422; SNG ANS 5 #129 |
Provenance
| Location | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Münzen & Medaillen, Fixed Price List 494 - Lot 23 | Nov 1, 1986 |
| United Kingdom | European Connoisseur Collection (formed before 2002) | 2002 |
| United Kingdom | Morton & Eden, Auction 124 - Lot 131 | Sep 26, 2023 |
| United States | Josh Zachman ("Kazuma78" on CoinTalk and NumisForums) Collection | - |
| United States | Heritage, ANA Signature Sale 3118 - Lot 34013 | Aug 16, 2024 |
| United States | Lelouch Collection | Current |