SICILY. Leontini. Ca. 450-420 BC. AR tetradrachm (24mm, 17.20 gm, 1h). NGC AU 4/5 - 4/5. Laureate head of Apollo left / LE-O-N-TI-N-ON, lion's head left, with open jaws and tongue protruding; bay-leaf behind, three barley corns around. Boehringer, Leontinoi 55. Rizzo pl. XXIV, 4. SNG ANS 257. The silver tetradrachms of Leontini show a notable progress of artistic styles throughout the fifth century, beginning with archaic depictions of a walking quadriga similar to issues of Sicily, to a highly stylized Apollo head of a "mannerist" style, to the final evolution seen with this beautiful issue of circa 435-430 BC, depicting Apollo in a highly refined and naturalistic form. Leontini's reliance on agriculture instead of sea trade is reflected on the barley corns surrounding the central lion on the reverse.

HID09801242017

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