Sicily, Tetradrachm, ca. 470-450 BC
Selinos - Silver - VF(30-35) - HGC:2-1220
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Artemis holding the reins of a biga going left, next to her, Apollo preparing to shoot an arrow.
Selinos, nude, standing left, holding a laurel branch vertically in his left hand and a phial in his right hand above an altar adorned with a laurel branch. Rooster facing left in front of the altar; in the right field, selinon leaf (variety of ache or celery) above a bull standing left on a pedestal.
Tetradrachm perfectly centered on the obverse and showing most of the iconography on the reverse. Our example features a rare reverse die seen in less than a dozen sales. According to Willy Schwabacher's work published in 1925 (MBNG, 43), our coin is struck with die combination no. 5, featuring the obverse die Q1 and associated with the reverse die S5. This is one of the earliest types struck for Selinunte tetradrachms. The author identifies at least 15 examples, some of which have appeared in sales over the last 20 years. The obverse is perfectly centered, and virtually all the grenetis surrounding the iconography is visible. Nevertheless, the obverse die was worn during the minting process, resulting in coarser, less precise lines on our coin. The reverse, less blunt, still shows traces of an old cleaning that was later repatinated. A graffiti is visible at 9h on the letter Σ. The entire iconography of the obverse and reverse is closely linked to the city and its religion. On the reverse, the man depicted is Selinos, the river-god of the waterway near the city. He takes his name from selinon, a type of ache, parsley or celery, very abundant in Selinunte and with known medicinal properties. Medicine is also evoked by the presence of Apollo and Artemis, whose areas of protection include health (illness and healing). Moreover, these two deities are of great importance to the city, which has dedicated several temples to them, as well as to Asclepius (son of Apollo) and Leto, their mother. The laurel, one of Apollo's attributes, is also depicted on the reverse. Our tetradrachm thus bears witness to the religious aspect of the event: on one hand, through the presence of the gods, the bull, the phiale and the altar, and on the other, through the libation performed by Selinos. The city of Selinunte was founded by the inhabitants of Megara Hyblaea and is located in south-western Sicily. Located by the sea, it benefited from strong trade links with Greece and the Phoenicians in particular. The richness of its land also made it a prosperous city, whose wealth enabled it to build a large number of temples. Initially allied with the Carthaginians after its conflict with Theron of Acragas, tyrant of Agrigento, around 480 BC, Selinunte became one of the most powerful cities in Sicily. However, it was destroyed in 409 BC by its former Punic allies who, once the city had been partly rebuilt, maintained their hegemony. Our coin features an iconography intimately linked to religion, and is part of a period in which relations between Selinunte and Carthage were evolving. A rare type, rarely seen at auction, our coin is therefore of great iconographic and numismatic interest! Rizzo, pl. XXXI, 10; Schwabacher 5 (Q1β/S5); SNG Lloyd 1224 and SNG ANS 688. Ex Numismatik Lanz München, Auction 125, 28 November 2005, lot 103. Faune d'Argent Collection.
ΣΕΛΙИΟ-И-ΤΙ-ΟΝ [anticlockwise and Σ retrograde]
Σ-ΕΛΙΝ-ΟΣ
17.36 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.
