Europe, probably 19th century. Lovely and quite wearable necklace in homage to ancient coins. Necklace created of woven silver wire, much in the style found in ancient Roman and Viking necklaces, interspersed with three of the most famous coins of ancient Greece - each modern but each stunning none-the-less. The large, central pendant is one of the most beautiful coins ever minted - the decadrachm-of-Kimon, Syracuse, featuring the portrait of Arethusa surrounded by four dolphins. The other 2 coins include an Apollonian coin featuring Athena with helmet on the obverse and bull and fish on the reverse. The final coin is the Naxos of Greece, ca 460 BCE. It features the bearded head of Dionysus facing right on the obverse and the nude and ithyphallic Silenus squatting on the reverse. If these coins were authentic their combined value would probably exceed $100,000.

For a fraction of the price, you get the look without the risk! Even reproductions of these coins are bringing big sums. A tetradrachm of Arethusa by famed 19th century forger Carl Wilhelm Becker hammered for over $1000 at the end of last year. Size of necklace: 24" L (61 cm) Size of Arethusa tetradrachm: 1.375" W (3.5 cm). Weight 108.2 grams (over 3 ounces of silver!)

Provenance: private Rancho Mirage, California, USA collection, by inheritance in 2020; ex-Dr. TDR Berreth, California, USA, acquired before 1982

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#179010

Tarnished but certainly wearable.