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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Sicily||View Options:  |  |  | 

Ancient Greek Coins of Sicily

The coins of Ancient Greek Sicily are considered among the finest numismatic works of art ever produced. Superb examples may cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Forum's selections include some more affordable examples.

Messana, Sicily, The Mamertini, 220 - 200 B.C.

|Messana|, |Messana,| |Sicily,| |The| |Mamertini,| |220| |-| |200| |B.C.||dichalkon|NEW
Mamertini or "Children of Mars" were a band of Campanian (or Samnite) mercenaries who, about 289 B.C., seized Messana at the north-east corner of Sicily, after having been hired by Agathocles to defend it. The Mamertines held Messana for over 20 years, converting it from a town of farmers and traders to a raiding base for pirates on land and sea. In 265 B.C., after Hiero of Syracuse had defeated them and besieged Messana, the Mamertines appealed to Carthage for aid. Soon after they appealed to Rome to rid them of the Carthaginians. The Mamertini then disappear from history, except even centuries later the inhabitants of Messana were called Mamertines. "Mamertine wine" from the vineyards of north-eastern tip of Sicily was the favorite of Julius Caesar and he made it popular after serving it at a feast to celebrate his third consulship.
GB114421. Bronze dichalkon, Särström Series XVII, Group A, 365-370; Calciati I 44; SNG ANS 452; Carbone RBW 1434; SNG Cop. 466; Hunterian I 32; HGC 2 857; BMC Sicily -, VF, green patina, earthen encrustation, rev. slightly off-center, XII bold, weight 7.394 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 180o, Messana (Messina, Sicily, Italy) mint, c. 220 - 200 B.C.; obverse Head of young Heracles right, wearing a lion’s skin; reverse MAMEPTINON (mostly obscured), Artemis running right, bow and quiver over shoulder, gripping long lighted torch with both hands, hound running behind alongside her; XII (mark of value) in right field; $150.00 SALE PRICE $135.00


Akragas, Sicily, c. 450 - 440 B.C.

|Akragas|, |Akragas,| |Sicily,| |c.| |450| |-| |440| |B.C.||tetras|
Located on a plateau overlooking Sicily's southern coast, Akragas was founded c. 582 B.C. by colonists from Gela. It grew rapidly, becoming second only to Syracuse in importance on Sicily but was sacked by Carthage in 406 B.C. and never fully recovered. It was renamed Agrigentum after it fell to Rome in 210 B.C.
GI98095. Cast bronze tetras, Westermark 1979 2; Westermark Akragas 526; Calciati I p. 145, 6; SNG ANS 1018; HGC 2 127 (R1), aF, dark green patina, 9.004g, 16.9mm long, weight 9.004 g, maximum diameter 17.25 mm, die axis 0o, Akragas (Agrigento, Sicily, Italy) mint, c. 450 - 440 B.C.; cast somewhat tooth-shaped flattened cone form, three pellets (mark of value) arranged in a triangle on flat top, heads and necks of two eagles back-to-back facing outwards on one side, crab opposite; rare; $140.00 SALE PRICE $126.00


Selinous, Sicily, c. 450 - 440 B.C.

|Other| |Sicily|, |Selinous,| |Sicily,| |c.| |450| |-| |440| |B.C.||cast| |tetras|
Selinous was once one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily. In 409 B.C., the Carthaginians attacked with a vast army believed to include at least 100,000 men. Selinus, with a population of about 30,000 excluding slaves, was unprepared and an auxiliary force promised by Syracuse, Agrigentum and Gela did not arrive. The Selinuntines defended themselves with courage, and after the walls were breached, continued to fight from house to house. After tens days the city fell. Of the citizens, 16,000 were slain and 5,000 made prisoners, but more than 2,600 escaped to Agrigento.
GI112252. Bronze cast tetras, Calciati I p. 235, 4; SNG Lloyd 1272; HGC 2 1233 (R1); BMC Sicily -; SNG Cop -; SNG ANS -; SNG Munchen -; SNG Morcom -; SNG Tüb -, F, dark patina, spots of corrosion, scratches, weight 11.855 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 180o, Selinus mint, 450 - 440 B.C.; obverse facing head of Medusa (gorgoneion), anepigraphic; reverse wild celery (selinon) leaf, three pellets (mark of value) around, anepigraphic; rare; $125.00 SALE PRICE $113.00


La Monetazione Del Bronzo Nella Sicilia Antica

|Greek| |Books|, |La| |Monetazione| |Del| |Bronzo| |Nella| |Sicilia| |Antica|
Arnaldo Forni Editore. 1985 reprint of the original 1927 publication. The bronze coinage of ancient Sicily.
BK23928. La Monetazione Del Bronzo Nella Sicilia Antica by E. Gabrici, in Italian, hardcover, age and shelf wear, 213 pages, 10 plates, international shipping at actual cost of shipping; $70.00 SALE PRICE $63.00


Syracuse, Sicily, Hieron II, 275 - 215 B.C.

|Syracuse|, |Syracuse,| |Sicily,| |Hieron| |II,| |275| |-| |215| |B.C.||AE| |27|NEW
Hieron II was tyrant and then king of Syracuse, c. 270 to 215 B.C. His rule brought 50 years of peace and prosperity, and Syracuse became one of the most renowned capitals of antiquity. He enlarged the theater and built an immense altar. The literary figure Theocritus and the philosopher Archimedes lived under his rule. After struggling against the Mamertini, he eventually allied with Rome.
MA113876. Bronze AE 27, cf. Calciati p. 374, 193; SNG ANS 909 ff.; SNG Cop 843; BMC Sicily p. 215, 565 ff.; HGC 2 1547 (S) (all refs. various controls), weight 14.979 g, maximum diameter 27.2 mm, die axis 315o, Syracuse mint, c. 240 - 215 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Hieron left, beardless, uncertain control symbol behind; reverse cavalryman prancing right, helmeted, wearing military garb, chlamys flying behind, couched spear in right hand, reins in left hand, IEPΩNOΣ in exergue, control symbols (if any) obscure; $14.60 (€13.72)










REFERENCES|

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Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Volume 1: Italy - Sicily. (West Milford, NJ, 1981).
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Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain IV, Fitzwilliam Museum, Leake and General Collections, Part 2: Sicily - Thrace. (London, 1947).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain, Volume X, John Morcom Collection. (Oxford, 1995).
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Tudeer, L.O. Die Tetradrachmenprägung von Syrakus in der Periode der Signierenden Künstler. (Berlin, 1913).
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Westermark, U. & K. Jenkins. The Coinage of Kamarina. Royal Numismatic Society, Special Publication 9. (London, 1980).


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