Arethusa / Octopus

Syracuse (Sicily) - Litra
Head of Arethusa right, wearing helix earring, necklace, ampyx and sphendone; in left field, barley grain.
Octopus

Description

Obverse: Head of Arethusa right, wearing helix 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 helix earring and rightwards facing Arethusa.

Details

CompositionSilver
IssuerSyracuse
Ruling AuthorityDionysios I (405 BC - 367 BC)
Period of Issue405 BC - 400 BC
Weight0.76 g
Diameter13 mm
Orientation
↑↑
11h
DenominationLitra
StandardSicilian Litra
ReferencesKreutzer Kleinsilbermünzen #Litra 11 (11.2, this coin)

Numista Reference

Provenance

LocationDescriptionDate
Germany
Gorny & Mosch, Stuttgarter Münzauktionen, Auktion 1 - Lot 113
Nov 22, 2010
Germany
Unknown G&M 310 Consignor (fellow Syracusan fractional fan)
-
Germany
Gorny & Mosch, Auction 310 - Lot 78
Mar 3, 2025
United States
Lelouch Collection
Current