Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich

Auction 116  –  1 October 2019

Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich, Auction 116

A highly important collection of Greek coins

Tu, 01.10.2019, from 2:30 PM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

The Carthaginians in Sicily and North Africa
Tetradrachm, Carthago or Lilybaion circa 410-392, AR 16.97 g. qrthdst in Punic characters. Free horse galloping l.; above, Nike flying l. to crown him. Rev. mh –nt in Punic characters. Palm tree with two clusters of dates. Jameson 908 (these dies). AMB 556 (this obverse die). Jenkins Punic Sicily II, 39.
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Struck on a very broad
flan and with a delicate old cabinet tone, extremely fine

Ex Freeman & Sear Manhattan sale II, Peter Guber, 2011, 25.
The typology of this Siculo-Punic tetradrachm advertises both the issuer and the intended recipient through symbolism. The palm tree on the reverse is a punning reference to the Phoenician origins of the Punic colonists of North Africa and their great city of Carthage. The Greek term for a Phoenician (Phoinix) is identical with the Greek word meaning “palm tree”. The former was absorbed into the Latin language as Punicus, and became the basis for the term “Punic” used to describe the Phoenician colonists who settled in Africa, Sicily, and Spain. It is notable that this distinctly Greek punning association between the palm tree and Phoenicia was first employed on coins in Punic Sicily and was only later absorbed by the cities of Phoenicia proper to appear on coins struck there beginning of the late third century BC. While the palm tree alludes to the Phoenician origins of Carthage, the ultimate authority behind the issue is indicated by the Punic obverse legend, the free horse was a popular symbol of the Campanian mercenaries who filled the armies fielded by both Carthage and the Greek cities in the late fifth and early fourth centuries BC. This would seem to mark them out as the intended recipients of coins like the present tetradrachm. Further support for this likelihood is provided by the fact that the coin is struck to the Attic standard rather than the shekel standard regularly employed at Carthage.

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Bidding

Price realized 28'000 CHF
Starting price 20'000 CHF
Estimate 25'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
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