The Neale Collection of Ancient Greek Coins

Greek Coinages, Syracuse: Tetradrachm, struck under the Second Democracy, c. 406; signed work of Kimon

Obverse: head of Arethusa canted slightly left, hair fluttering radially as if submerged in water, four dolphins swimming around; κιμων across ampyx

Reverse: charioteer driving galloping quadriga left, the horses twisting in excited agitation; wreath-bearing Nike stepping across the reins towards driver; toppled turning post lying below the horses forelegs; corn-ear in exergue

Metal: silver; Attic weight standard; 17.47g/11h

References: Fischer-Bossert 81 [O29/R54]; Gulbenkian 293; Rizzo pl. XLCIII, 11

Condition: Almost extremely fine, perfectly centred with traces of residual lustre; the portrait struck in high relief and utterly captivating £100,000-£150,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Neale Collection of Ancient Greek Coins.

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Collection

CNG Triton XI, New York, 8 January 2008, lot 61 (cover coin)
CNG Triton XIX, New York, 5 January 2016, lot 55
M. Gasvoda Collection, CNG Triton XXII, New York, 8 January 2019, lot 145

Of all the typological schemes to appear on Ancient Greek coinage, the front facing heads are the most celebrated. And of the facing heads, those signed by the artist Kimon at Syracuse are the most accomplished. Note the signature across Arethusa’ ampyx. Its presence tells us two things; firstly, that the Greeks themselves saw coinage as art, as appropriate forum for competition between the greatest sculptors of the day; and secondly, that Kimon, who was quite clearly a genius, thought these dies worthy of his name.

One could talk at length about the balance of the composition seen here, how the radial hair fits perfectly to the flan, and Kimon’s genius in having the dolphins play through the hair so that the whole scene appears submerged; or the remarkable depth of the engraving, and the technical mastery which this required; or the vitality of the portrait, the dreamy eyes which captivate, utterly and completely, and the slight kink of the neck which imbues the whole scene with energy and life. Indeed, many have; thousands of words have been written in attempt to capture and convey the experience one has when in the presence of such a coin. It will suffice to quote from just two. Barclay Head called called Kimon’s masterpiece ‘the finest representation of the facing human head on any coin’ while Colin Kraay ranked it ‘amongst the most delightful creations of Greek coinage’. Both were great authorities on classical numismatics, and both were right.