Two Punic Bronze Coins

Despite my avatar, whenever I tried to replace now missing Punic coins to my collection, it was either too late to bid or my budget was shot to pieces .... but finally I succeeded.

These examples are the typical Punic type-----Tanit and a horse combination, but stylistically varied one from the other....hardly surprising since 140 years separate them.

The first was struck 400-350 BC and circulated hundreds of years before the 1st Punic War (264-241 BC), while the second, struck circa 221-210 BC, was circulating just prior to and during the Hannibalic War of 218-201 BC. While I will dispense with any further historical information, I will note this bit of 'trivia'---Carthage was more properly known as 'Qart Hadasht' or 'New Town' due to its Phoenician/Semitic origins and was latinized to Carthago or Carthage by the Romans.

Please feel free to post any coin of Carthage or Phoenicia.

 

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I don't know why this coin sings to me. But it does


Carthage, Zeugitana
Coin: Bronze Shekel
None - Wreathed head of Tanit left
None - Horse standing right, looking left
Mint: Carthage (215-201 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 7.07g / 22mm / -
Rarity: Scarce
Acquisition/Sale: $0.00
Notes: Dec 4, 13 - Ref: SNG Copenhagen 309-13
CARTHAGE, SECOND PUNIC WAR


And Dobbin


Carthage, Zeugitana
Coin: Bronze 3 shekel
- Goddess Tanit left
- Horse right, foreleg up
Mint: Zeugitana (201-195 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 17.78g / 28mm / -
Rarity: Rare
References:

• cf MMA 105

And this one


Carthage, Zeugitana
Coin: Bronze
- Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears
- Horse's head right; pellet before
Mint: Zeugitana (300-264 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 0.00g / 17mm / -
References:

• SNG Copenhagen 169-171

 

Bronze coins of Carthage often of a quality only a mother could love . All of the above examples, and the one below, are beautiful to me . Someday I'd like to get some Punic gold, perhaps silver as well. The "someday" list is miles long though.


ZEUGITANA, Carthage
early 2nd century BCE
AE 15-shekels, 45 mm, 95 gm
Obv: wreathed head of Tanit left
Rev: horse standing right, left foreleg up; solar disk with uraei above
Ref: Alexandropoulos J (2000) Les monnaies de l'Afrique Antique, 103; Müller L (1861) Numismatique de L'Ancienne Afrique, 131; Luynes 3782; Jenkins GK and Lewis RB (1963) Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins. Royal Numismatic Society, London, pl. 28 12

 

Carthage! Eww
Nice coin though, MZ!
One of my favorite characters from the Second Punic war (besides Scipio Africanus) is Quintus Fabius Maximus. No relation to Magnus Maximus!

 

Fabius the Cunctator??? Otherwise known as the 'Delayer' ?? He practically saved the Romans from annihilation with his 'guerrilla' tactics...As Hannibal is quoted as saying..."Fabius always prevented me from mischief..."

And Marcellus is another fascinating General to research....

 

Yep, the Shield of Rome; a title he deserved. He was a brilliant man, a pity the Senate only listened to him after Cannae.

 

An ancient Carthaginian silver shekel coin. Struck circa 264 - 241 B.C. at the Zeugitana mint.
The obverse with the head of Tanit facing left.
The reverse with horse standing right, head turned left, palm tree behind.
Diameter: 21 mm.
Weight: 6.90 g.
Provenance:
Ex. Collection of Professor J.E.Seaver. Professor Seaver taught ancient history at the University of Kansas and was a keen opera lover, hosting his own radio show on the subject for nearly 60 years. He was a passionate collector of ancient coins and often used them to aid his teaching.

 

Love the video about Fabius Maximus - a/k/a Fabius the Delayer! He was derided for his tactics, but he had the right plan for the right time until the brilliant general Scipio rose to finally defeat Hannibal.

As you can see, my avatar name is Carthago. I was really into the Punic wars, especially the 2nd with the titanic struggles of Rome and Hannibal. I had thought when I first got into ancients that I would focus on that time period and coinage. Alas, it was short lived and I found myself gravitating to Roman Republicans exclusively. I kept the moniker and only one coin from Carthage in my collection.

 

Rare Billon Tridrachm of Hannibal Second Punic War
North Africa, Zeugitana, Carthage
Hannibal Barca s. 210-205 BC
Billon Tri-drachm 25.6mm x 10.54g
Obverse: Bust of Tanit Left.
Reverse: Horse Standing right, Palm tree behind.
ref. Lorber-168
"Coin Hoards Vol. IX
2002 Punic "Horse & Palm" Billon Tridrachms" by C. Lorber

 

Hello Mike,

I had a collection of 50 of these Punic coins, later even two silver Hannibal coins, sorry all sold.
I only have left...but I have some nice Phoenician terracotta's...see two.
Also still many Phoenician silver coins, but I think many of them are already posted.
Maybe I will start again collecting them..but there so much nice things out there..and no budget .

 

Very nice!

 

Terrific posts !!!

I'd love to score a silver coin of the type in the coming year....

Hey, it's possible

 

Wow, total fricken winners, Mikey-Z (congrats) ... two complete winners with super eye-appeal (man, I always love the looks of those sweet AE examples)

Ummm ... I'm gonna toss-in a coin from Carthage ... congrats again

Carthage Horse-head AE20
300-264 BC
Tanit & Horse-head

 

Well done ! Beautiful Carthago coins...looks like Tanit was finally seeing the ultimate truth in the 2nd coin during the 2nd Punic War! She has a pretty stern countenance...

 

Carthage
AR 2/3 Shekel ca 300 BCE
18.4mm, 4.4g
Obv: Tanit left, wreath, earring
Rev: Horse standing r, head turned l,
Ref: Sear Greek Vol 2 6491; SNG COP 143 var R
Rare
Ex: Glenn Terry, ex Tom Mann

 

For the 2nd Punic War, 2 examples of Trishekels as tribute...


Carthago
AE Trishekel ca 220-215 BCE
30mm, 17.6g
Obv: Tanit l, wearing wreath of grain, single pendant earring
Rev: Horse std r, palmtree background to left, Punic 'B' to r
Ref: MAA 84; Muller Africa 145; SNG COP 344

 

Carthago
AE Trishekel ca 220-215 BCE
30mm, 19.7g
Obv: Tanit l, wearing wreath of grain, single pendant earring
Rev: Horse std r, palmtree background to left
Ref: MAA 84a; Muller Africa 150; SNG COP 340

 

Wonderful posts one and all !!!

Looks like I already need an up-grade

 

I agree with your earlier comment: You need to find that silver Carthage shekel... They are cool, but kinda hard to capture...