Sicily, Tetradrachm, 455-430 BC
Leontini - Silver - AU(50-53) - HGC:2-671
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Head of Apollo wearing laurel wreath over curly hair, left.
Head of lion with protuding tongue, roaring on the left; ethnic around, laurel leaf on right field; barley grain, above, below and on the left field.
A superb tetradrachm in excellent condition, with complete iconography on all sides and adorned with a beautiful patina of golden tones. The dies used to strike our specimen were beginning to show wear, as evidenced by the breaks on the obverse at the level of the hair of the god, in the right field and above his nose. The neck of Apollo also shows graffiti. Nevertheless, the coin is in an exceptional state of preservation, revealing every detail of the portrait of Apollo. He is portrayed as a young man with hair marked by thin lines and numerous wavy locks. The portrait is made all the more beautiful by the fact that elements of his eyes, notably his eyelashes, are still visible. The centering of the strike reveals his entire head and part of the grenetis composed of delicate dots. The reverse shows good centering and some blue highlights between 6 and 9 o'clock. The hair and lips of the lion are visible and detailed, while its sharp fangs and tongue show its ferocity. The laurel leaf is delicately represented with all its veins, and every element of the barley grains is present. Our specimen was struck during a period of independence for the city of Leontini, then allied with the Athenians, between two Syracusan invasions. Apollo was depicted because he was the most important deity of the city at the time. The lion, a solar animal indirectly associated with the god, is also linked to the name Leontini. As for the barley grains, they testify to the wealth of the city, renowned for its fertile plains. The laurel leaf, also linked to Apollo, is one of the symbols known from the reverse of the tetradrachms of the city during this period. It bears witness to the intensity of coinage minting in the second third of the 5th century BC. Another interesting element is that the legend on our coin is written in the Chalcidian alphabet, testifying to the origin of the city's founders in the 8th century BC, who came from Chalcis. The letters “L” and “N” are characteristic of it. A specimen that attests to the historical context in which it was minted, with excellent centering and an exceptional state of preservation. A must-have! Boehringer Leontinoi 55; Maltese, Leontini 138 (D34/R106); SNG ANS 257 (these dies); HGC 2, 671 and Rizzo pl. XXIIII, 4 (these dies). Faune d'Argent Collection.
LEO-N-TI-N-OY
17.39 gr
Silver
Silver can fall into your pocket but also falls between copper and gold in group 11 of the periodic table. Three metals frequently used to mint coins. There are two good reasons for using silver: it is a precious metal and oxidizes little upon contact with air. Two advantages not to be taken for granted.
Here is thus a metal that won’t vanish into thin air.
It’s chemical symbol Ag is derived from the Latin word for silver (argentum), compare Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árgyros). Silver has a white, shiny appearance and, to add a little bit of esotericism or polytheism to the mix, is traditionally dedicated to the Moon or the goddess Artemis (Diana to the Romans).
As a precious metal, just like gold, silver is used to mint coins with an intrinsic value, meaning their value is constituted by the material of which they are made. It should be noted that small quantities of other metals are frequently added to silver to make it harder, as it is naturally very malleable (you can’t have everything) and thus wears away rapidly.
The first silver coins probably date back to the end of the 7th century BC and were struck on the Greek island of Aegina. These little beauties can be recognized by the turtle featured on the reverse.
The patina of silver ranges from gray to black.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of silver included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ silver or 999 parts of silver per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
An “AU(50-53)” quality
As in numismatics, it is important that the state of conservation of an item be carefully evaluated before it is offered to a discerning collector with a keen eye.
This initially obscure acronym comprising two words describing the state of conservation is explained clearly here:
About Uncirculated(50-53)
This means – more prosaically – that the coin has circulated well from hand to hand and pocket to pocket but the impact on its wear remains limited: the coins displays sharp detailing and little sign of being circulated. The number (50-53) indicates that at least half of the original luster remains. Closer examination with the naked eye reveals minor scratches or nicks.
You might be wondering why there are different ranges of numbers behind the same abbreviation. Well, we’ll explain:
The numbers are subdivisions within a category, showing that the state of conversation is the same but coins may be at the higher or lower end of the scale. In the case of AU, the range (55-58) indicates that the luster is better preserved in than a similar coin described as (50-53).
