Arethusa / Octopus
Syracuse (Sicily) - Litra
Description
Obverse: Head of Arethusa right, wearing double loop earring, necklace, ampyx and sphendone; in left field, barley grain.
Reverse: Octopus
One of 4 known, 3 in private hands. Listed in Kreutzer's Syrakusische Drachmen und Kleinsilbermünzen as Litra 11.2. This die is unsigned but often attributed to Eukleidas. No known samples have the EV on the ampyx, but it doesn't eliminate the possibility the dies were engraved by Eukleidas and the signature wore off in the centuries after. This litra is distinguished by the double loop earring and rightwards facing Arethusa.
Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | Silver |
| Issuer | Syracuse |
| Ruling Authority | Second Democracy (466 BC - 405 BC) |
| Period of Issue | 415 BC - 405 BC |
| Weight | 0.76 g |
| Diameter | 13 mm |
| Orientation | ↑↑ 11h |
| Denomination | 1 Litra |
| Standard | Sicilian Litra |
| References | Kreutzer Kleinsilbermünzen #Litra 11 (11.2, this coin) |
Provenance
| Location | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Gorny & Mosch, Stuttgarter Münzauktionen, Auktion 1 - Lot 113 | Nov 21, 2010 |
| Germany | Unknown G&M 310 Consignor (fellow Syracusan fractional fan) | - |
| Germany | Gorny & Mosch, Auction 310 - Lot 78 | Mar 2, 2025 |
| United States | Lelouch Collection | Current |