{"product_id":"136795-sicily-tetradrachm-ca-420-413-bc-messina-silver-vf-30-35-bmc-38","title":"Sicily, Tetradrachm, ca. 420-413 BC, Messana, Silver, VF(30-35), BMC:38","description":"\u003cp id=\"head\"\u003eNymph Messana, draped, driving a biga at pace drawn by two mules to the right, all within a border of dot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"reverse\"\u003eHare running to the right, dolphin below to the right, all within a border of dot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"comment\"\u003eAttractive tetradrachm with full iconography on both sides. Our example also features a pleasing gray patina.\n\nAlthough showing traces of wear on its highest reliefs, the obverse still has many details. The folds of the nymph's drapery are clearly visible, as are the reins in her left hand. The two mules are shown in profile. The second is only represented by a kind of very light double strike, visible on the animal's legs, neck and top of the head. The die used on our specimen was worn, as can be seen from the die breaks on either side of the mules' snouts on the grenetis and the letters in the caption. However, all the iconography on the obverse, and in particular the border of dots, is still visible.\nThe reverse is slightly off-center to the left, but all its iconographic elements are visible. A few hairs can still be seen on the hare's tail and head, as well as its whiskers and ear pattern. The dolphin below is also finely depicted, with some elements of its head still present. \n\nThe iconography of our coin is closely linked to the historical context in which it was minted. The woman depicted on the obverse is associated with the nymph Messana, whose name is inscribed above, representing the city. Her presence in a biga drawn by two mules can be interpreted as the city's victory in the Olympic Games in 480's BC. As for the hare, it's representative of the city's coinage.\n\nA beautiful coin that's easy on the eye! \n\nCaltabiano Series XIV, 517-518 ; BMC 38 ; HGC 2, 792 ; McClean 2394 ; SNG ANS 356 and SNG Copenhagen 399. \nEx Vinchon, 27 February 1961, lot 66 = ex Clarence S. Bement Collection (Ars Classica - Naville VI, Bement I, 28 January 1924, lot 409). Faune d'Argent Collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"headCaption\"\u003eMEΣΣ-ANA\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"reverseCaption\"\u003eΜΕΣ-Σ-Α-ΝΙΟ-Ν\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"weight\"\u003e17.22 gr\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"cdma","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55860794884428,"sku":"136795","price":4500.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0637\/1655\/7029\/files\/136795A_069ae488-b84f-459b-ac6f-0b13fc2d15ad.jpg?v=1762429803","url":"https:\/\/www.numiscorner.com\/products\/136795-sicily-tetradrachm-ca-420-413-bc-messina-silver-vf-30-35-bmc-38","provider":"Numiscorner.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}