SICILY, CAMARINA

Silver tetradrachm
(17.02gm, 27mm diameter),
signed on the obverse by EXAKESTIDAS,
Circa 425-405 B.C.

Obverse: Galloping quadriga driven right by Athena, above Nike flying left to crown her, artist signature EXAKESTIDAS on exergual line. Two amphorae in exergue.

Reverse: KAMARINAION, Head of young beardless Herakles left in lion skin headdress.

Reference: Westermark and Jenkins 149 (8/15), Rizzo pl.v, 11 and pl. vi, 5

Note: Very rare, extremely fine

SOLD

This coin was designed at Camarina by Exakestidas, possibly the first artist to portray Herakles as a beardless and young looking hero. Alexander the Great later adopted the concept and embossed his own idealized portrait on his Greek coinage.

The obverse, signed Exakestidas on the exergual line, portrays a common theme among Italian coinage: the commemoration of the Olympic horse races, with Athena at the reins of a quadriga and Nike flying to crown her

The reverse depicts a young Herakles wearing the traditional lion’s skin headdress.

The fine texture of this coin’s engraving, characteristic of Exakestidas’ work, is evident in the rendering of the lion’s lashes, teeth, and mane, mirrored in Herakles’ sideburns on the reverse, while on the obverse Nike’s wings feathers, the horses’ manes, and the reins are further indication of this artist’s talent.