Arethusa / Octopus

Syracuse (Sicily) - Litra
Head of Arethusa right, wearing simple pendant earring and with her hair in an ampyx; behind her head, dolphin swimming downwards to right.
Octopus

Description

Obverse: Head of Arethusa right, wearing simple pendant earring and with her hair in an ampyx; behind her head, dolphin swimming downwards to right.
Reverse: Octopus

The signature of EY on this coin is uncertain. EY usually refers to Euinateos, but that was during the time of the signing artists under the Second Democracy and Dionysios I, while this coin was produced nearly a 100 years later.

Details

CompositionSilver
IssuerSyracuse
Ruling AuthorityTimoleon and the Third Democracy (344 BC - 317 BC)
Period of Issue344 BC - 338 BC
Weight0.69 g
Diameter11 mm
Orientation
12h
Denomination1 Litra
StandardSicilian Litra
ReferencesSNG ANS 5 #523,1383; HGC 2 #1382

Numista Reference

Provenance

LocationDescriptionDate
UnknownPrivately purchased in 19961996
France"Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions-
SwitzerlandNomos AG, obolos 35 - Lot 1111Dec 15, 2024
United StatesLelouch CollectionCurrent