| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 94 Price realized: 3,900 CHF (Approx. 4,427 USD / 4,091 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 13.55 g, 3 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, wreath. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, Φ. Burnett, Enna, 25 (same dies). CCO 171 (D13/R23). SNG Lloyd 1544 (same dies). Lightly toned and with an elegant portrait. Minor flan faults on the obverse, otherwise, about extremely fine. Ex Hess-Divo 332, 31 May 2017, 18 and 51 Gallery, 9 December 2013, 68 and previously privately acquired from Anne Demeester. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the king, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 1000 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 671 Price realized: 2,400 CHF (Approx. 2,728 USD / 2,534 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 13.53 g, 11 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, star. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, star; to right, K. Burnett, Enna, 35 (same dies). CCO 111 (D8/R21). HGC 2, 1556. Nicely toned and with a fine portrait. Very light porosity, otherwise, good very fine. From the collection of the renowned Swiss architect Max Vogt (1925-2019), ex Schweizerische Kreditanstalt Monetarium FPL 63, spring 1995, 51. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the King Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 750 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 672 Price realized: 1,313 CHF (Approx. 1,493 USD / 1,386 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 13.64 g, 7 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, ΑΦ. Burnett, Enna, -. CCO - (D20/-). HGC 2, 1556. New York Sale XXXIV (2015), 42 (same dies). Numismatica Genevensis 6 (2010), 35 (same dies). Lightly toned. Minor marks and with light doubling on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine. From the T. Frisbie Collection, ex Dmitry Markov 10, 23 October 2001, 28. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the King, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 500 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 670 Price realized: 2,400 CHF (Approx. 2,728 USD / 2,534 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 13.65 g, 5 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, wreath. Rev. [Β]ΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ[Σ] - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, Φ. Burnett, Enna, -. CCO 166 (D10/R21). HGC 2, 1556. Attractive iridescent toning and with a wonderful portrait. Minor flan fault on the obverse and small die breaks on the reverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. From the collection of the renowned Swiss architect Max Vogt (1925-2019), privately acquired from Schweizerische Kreditanstalt Monetarium on 30 August 1993. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the King, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 1000 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 94 Price realized: 3,900 CHF (Approx. 4,427 USD / 4,091 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 13.55 g, 3 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, wreath. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, Φ. Burnett, Enna, 25 (same dies). CCO 171 (D13/R23). SNG Lloyd 1544 (same dies). Lightly toned and with an elegant portrait. Minor flan faults on the obverse, otherwise, about extremely fine. Ex Hess-Divo 332, 31 May 2017, 18 and 51 Gallery, 9 December 2013, 68 and previously privately acquired from Anne Demeester. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the king, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 1000 CHF | |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 95 Price realized: 2,800 CHF (Approx. 3,178 USD / 2,937 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 28 mm, 13.34 g, 10 h), circa 240-218/5. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, star. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving slow quadriga to right, holding reins in both hands; above, star; to right, K. Burnett, Enna, 39 (same obverse die). CCO - (D9/R29, unlisted die combination). HGC 2, 1556. Fresh and attractive. Light marks and with very minor die rust on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine. From an American collection, privately acquired from Ariadne Galleries prior to 1982. Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the king, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife. Starting price: 1000 CHF |  |
Match 6:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 84 Price realized: 2,250 USD (Approx. 2,061 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: SICILY, Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II. 275-215 BC. AR 16 Litrai – Tetradrachm (25mm, 13.59 g, 4h). Struck circa 240-218/5 BC. Diademed and veiled head left; torch to right / BAΣIΛIΣΣAΣ ΦIΛIΣTIΔOΣ, Nike, holding reins in both hands, driving fast quadriga right; E below horses. CCO 49 (D12/R31); BAR Issue 65; HGC 2, 1554; SNG ANS 884 (same dies); SNG Ashmolean 2107 (same dies); SNG München 1357 and 1359 (same dies); McClean 1398 (same dies); Ward 337 (same dies); Weber 1707 (same dies). Lightly toned, minor die wear on obverse. Near EF. Ex Jacquier 49 (17 September 2021), lot 66. Philistis was the daughter of an influential Syracusan named Leptines. Hieron, a mercenary refugee from the army of Pyrrhos of Epeiros, took control of Syracuse after Pyrrhos' withdrawal from the city in 275 BC. Hieron immediately sought out and married Philistis to secure his position with the city's elite. His coinage in her name commenced after he was proclaimed king (and she queen) in 265 BC and reflects the strong influence of Ptolemaic Egypt, depicting her veiled head in a manner reminiscent of Egyptian queens Arsinoe II and Berenike II. Estimate: 2000 USD |  |
