Lot 3772

Description

Zeugitania, Carthage, (c.180-146 B.C.), gold two fifths shekel, (3.01 g), obv. head of Tanit to left, crowned with wreath of corn, wearing single pendant earring, rev. free horse standing to right, pellet below horse, (S.6489, cf.Jenkins and Lewis Group XVIII, 503 [cf.Pl.24], Muller II, 70 [p.86], MAA 97d; cf.SNG Cop.402). Porous surface and knocks in field, serrated edge, otherwise nearly very fine and very rare.

By the time of the Third Punic War, Carthage had limited precious metal resources at its disposal. H.R. Baldus ("Ein 146 v. Chr. verbrannter Geldborseninhalt aus Karthago," Chiron 33 [2003], pp. 195-201) has argued that this serrate gold issue was struck from the melted jewelry contributed by the women of Carthage during the summer of 149 BC after the Roman siege of the city had begun, an event noted by Diordoros (32.9).