Lot 2445

Description

Siculo-Punic, (c.264-260 B.C.), the time of the First Punic War, silver five shekels or dekadrachm, (37.84 grams), obv. head of Tanit to left wearing triple pendant earring and wreath of grain ears, rev. Pegasos flying right, Punic legend 'B'RST' below, (S.6442 [p.596], Jenkins, SNR 57, 452 - 1, [dies 05/R21 this coin], Harmer Rooke Sale 19/1/1978 [lot 121 this coin], cf.SNG Cop. 180 [similar dies], Kraay-Hirmer 211). Attractive light purple tone, almost free of any imperfections, nearly extremely fine and rare.

Ex Harmer Rooke, New York Auction Sale Jan. 19, 1978 (lot 121, illustrated on cover with multiple photos of this coin and estimated US7,000), Leu Numismatik Auction Sale 72, May 12, 1998 (lot 132, illustrated, realised 17,250 SFr.) and subsequently purchased privately December 1998 from Jonathon Kern. Jenkins records sixty six examples of this coin type with only two examples recorded from this pair of dies (which includes this piece). The entire issue comes from five obverse and twenty one reverse dies. This magnificent medallic piece was issued at about the time of the outbreak of the First Punic War, which ultimately brought about the end of the Carthaginian presence in Sicily. Pegasos appearing on the reverse of this issue, which represents a departure from the traditional horse that appears on the reverse of almost all other Carthaginian coins. It's use probably represents the direct influence of Corinthian coinage and that of her colony Syracuse. The Carthaginian stronghold of Panormos on the north coast of western Sicily has been proposed as the mint for this impressive series of coins.