ZEUGITANA. Carthage. Ca. 264-241 BC. Time of First Punic War. EL trihemishekel (23mm, 10.70 gm, 12h). NGC XF 3/5 - 3/5. Head of Tanit left, hair wreathed with grain ears, dot on wreath, hair drawn into multiple coils and tendrils at back of head, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace with ten pendants / Horse standing right on exergual line; double uraeus to either side of radiant solar disk above, with seven rays above and five below, pellet on ground line behind rear hoof. Jenkins & Lewis Group Xb, 428-446. SNG Copenhagen 183. Perfectly centered on lemony flan. Warm toning. In addition to the death and destruction caused by the First Punic War between Carthage and Rome, the impact on the world's economy was also profound. Though immensely rich, Carthage's stock of gold reserves were eventually reduced to the point where coins of pure gold were increasingly debased with silver, producing denominations such as this remarkably styled electrum trihemistater. An unusual feature is the quasi-Egyptian solar disk flanked by serpents above the proud Punic horse.

HID09801242017

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