Lot 18: Sicily, Entella. Punic issue. Ca. 320/15-300 B.C. AR tetradrachm. Wonderfully Artistic Dies.

Sicily, Entella. Punic issue. Ca. 320/15-300 B.C. AR tetradrachm (27 mm, 17.26 g, 12 h). Head of Arethousa left, wreathed with grain ears, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; before neck, cockle shell; around, four dolphins / ''MMHNT'' (Punic) below, horse''s head left; behind, palm tree. Jenkins 163 (O49/R132); SNG Ashmolean 1488 (same dies); SNG Aberdeen 99 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 85 (same dies); Gulbenkian 371-2 (same obv. die). Small spot before mouth. Sharp strike and well centered. Wonderful artistic dies. Choice extremely fine. 

The lovely obverse die almost exactly reproduces a decadrachm die of Euainetos used at Syracuse, down to the cockle shell before Arethousa''s neck. It is considered one of the finest dies of this extensive series, and of the two specimens of the type in the Gulbenkian collection, both share this obverse die. The horse on the reverse is also wonderfully executed, and like the obverse it is perfectly centered on the flan. The horse was the badge of Carthage, for according to Virgil (Aeneid I, 444) a horse''s head was the sign provided by Juno to the Tyrian settlers showing them where to build Carthage.

• Offered By: Barry P. Murphy
• Lot #: 18
• Listing #: 231262
• Closed: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 4:05:40 PM CT
• Estimate: $7,500