Sicily. Messana. AR Tetradrachm (17.08g), ca. 420 BC. Boutin 1093 = Caltabiano 533.1 (this coin). Old cabinet tone. Well centered and struck. Insignificant flan cracks and slighlty rusty dies. A superb coin! Choice extremely fine. Acquired privately from Tradart, Brussels; Gerhard Hirsch 1986 (150) lot 112; Ars Classica 1929 (14) lot 97; Edward George Spencer-Churchill (1876-1964) collection; Arthur Sambon & Ambrogio Canessa 1927 (27 June) lot 820; Pasquale del Pezzo, Duca di Caianello, Marchese di Campodisola (1859-1936) collection; Naville & Cie 1921 (1) lot 490; Samuel Jean Pozzi (1846-1918) collection.

Here we have one of the few Greek depictions that refer to a distinct historical event and were probably meant to be read this way already in Antiquity. In 480 Anaxilas, tyrant of Rhegium, came out victorious in the mule race in Olympia, celebrating this success by introducing this new coin type. Related to the god Pan, the hare also refers to Anaxilas. Indeed, according to Aristotle, the tyrant imported them into Sicily to alleviate food shortages.