SICULO-PUNIC, Uncertain mint in Sicily. First Punic War. Circa 264-241 BC. AR 5 Shekels – Dekadrachm (39mm, 36.45 g, 11h). NGC Ch XF, 5/5, 2/5, Fine Style.

CNG Feature Auction 129
Lot: 76.
Closing Date: May 14 2025 11:00 ET

Greek, Silver

Estimate: $ 30 000

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SICULO-PUNIC, Uncertain mint in Sicily. First Punic War. Circa 264-241 BC. AR 5 Shekels – Dekadrachm (39mm, 36.45 g, 11h). Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears and single-pendant earring / Pegasos flying right; Punic B'RŠT (= “In the land”) below. Jenkins, Punic, Series 6, 450 (O4’/R19); Jenkins & Lewis pl. 27, 2; CNP 350; HGC 2, 1664; SNG Fitzwilliam 1512 (same obv. die); SNG Lloyd 1665 (same obv. die); Kraay & Hirmer 211 (same obv. die). In NGC encapsulation 4936376-002, graded Ch XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5, Fine Style. Well centered.

Ex Collection of a Gentleman (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 16 August 2021), lot 42065; Pflieger Collection (Vinchon, 13 April 1985), lot 205.

Although since the late 6th century BC relations between Rome and Carthage had always been maintained on a friendly basis, Rome's growing influence in Magna Graecia in the early decades of the third century BC led inevitably to an increasing rivalry between the two powers. The Italian state was being drawn inexorably into the bitter politics of the centuries-old dispute between Greeks and Carthaginians in Sicily. This magnificent medallic piece was issued at about the time of the outbreak of the First Punic War which, after almost a quarter of a century of fighting, was to bring about the end of the Carthaginian presence on the island. Find spots for these coins have been exclusively Sicilian, and they were presumably struck for military purposes. Although horses had always been popular on Carthaginian and Siculo-Punic issues, the depiction of the winged Pegasos represented a departure from tradition. The influence of the Corinthian coinage and that of her colony Syracuse seems obvious. The typically enigmatic Punic inscription translates “in the land,” and the Carthaginian stronghold of Panormos on the north coast of western Sicily has been suggested as the mint for this impressive series.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 13 May at 9 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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