The Tetradrachm of Aetna, 460 B.C.E. Aetna, Sicily
Mint location: Aetna, a Greek city in Sicily, with the name inscribed as "ATNAION" on the coin. Date: Approximately 460 B.C.E. Composition: Silver. Diameter: Approximately 26 millimeters. Weight: Slightly more than 20 grams. Obverse (front) design: The head of Silenus, a satyr-like figure with horse ears, in a contemplative, inebriated state. Reverse (back) design: Zeus seated on a throne, holding a thunderbolt and a vine staff. An eagle is perched on a pine tree in the background, and the throne is covered with a lion skin.
The "Tetradrachm of Aetna" is an exceptionally rare and valuable ancient Greek silver coin from the city of Aetna (modern-day Catania, Sicily), minted around 460 B.C.E. The coin is famous for its unique and artistic design, featuring the mythological figure Silenus on one side and Zeus on the other. It is considered by some numismatists to be one of the most significant ancient coins in the world, sometimes called the "Mona Lisa of numismatics".
From the collection of the Royal Library of Belgium.