Nomos 13

SICILY, Panormos. Circa 415-405 BC. Litra (Silver, 11mm, 0.71 g 5). Diademed head of a nymph to right, her hair falling down the back of her neck; around, two dolphins swimming to right. Rev. Poseidon, draped from the waist, seated to right, holding a trident in his left hand and extending his right toward a dolphin swimming downwards to right. Jenkins, Punic I, pl. 24, 3. Very rare. A bold and attractive piece with a light grey patina. Obverse fields marked by minor die breaks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a collection in Ticino, formed over 20 years ago.

While Jenkins dated coins of this type to the later 5th century, the coin actually looks rather earlier. This could be because the die cutters in Panormos were provincial in training, but the quality seems to good for that. In fact, the reverse immediately recalls the reverses of coins from Naxos, with their seated Silens, which go back to the 460s. Even with a stylistic lag, it seems unlikely that this coin can be any later than c. 430-420.