File:Greek Silver Hemidrachm of Tegea (Arcadia).jpg

English: Tegea .The 5th century coinage of Tegea under the Arcadia. Hemidrachm (Silver, 2.98 g 9), c. 460-450. Zeus Lykaios, laureate and seen partially from behind, seated right on low throne with swan’s head at the top of the backrest, holding long scepter in his left hand and with eagle standing right with spread wings on his right. Rev. Head of Kallisto, three-quarter facing to right, wearing pendant necklace and with her hair bound with a taenia and tied in a bun at the back; all within incuse square. BMFA 1247 var. Kunstfreund 158 (this coin). McClean 6927 var. Williams – (III, 3, 196 var.; obverse 135 but with a new reverse die). Extremely rare. A magnificent coin of the finest early Classical style, with a reverse die struck in very high relief. Extremely fine. From the collection of C. Gillet, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, Kunstfreund, 28 May 1974, 158. The wonderful reverse die of this coin was engraved by a great master and served as the prototype for all the other facing heads of Williams Period III, Section 3 hemidrachms. It is undoubtedly one of the great masterpieces of Greek coinage from the mid 5th century B.C. LHS96, 1715.