Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Sicily, Siculo-Punic issue. Silver Tetradrachm (16.8 g), ca. 350-320/15 BC. Uninscribed type. Wreathed head of Arethusa left, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace. Reverse Horse galloping right before palm tree. Jenkins series 2d, 122 (O42/R114); BMFA 488 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 1616 (same obv. die); SNG Lockett 1037 (same obv. die); Gulbenkian 363 (same obv. die); Jameson 913 (same obv. die). Excellent metal and wonderful style. Lovely iridescent tone. Extremely Fine.

This lovely Carthaginian tetradrachm was struck beginning in about 350/40 BC, thus more or less concurrent with the beginnings of the regular Carthaginian gold staters. The marked increase in Punic coinage at this time, coming after a hiatus of 50 or 60 years, met the needs of the Carthaginian state to pay for military operations on the island. This was specially the case after 344 BC when the Syracusans invited Timoleon of Corinth to become their leader. Timoleon rid Syracuse of the troublesome Dionysios as well as his nemesis, Hiketas I, the tyrant of Leontini, and then re-founded the city and established a democracy. All of this lead to a period of Greek revival on the island, which of course led to open conflict with Carthage.
Estimated Value $15,000 - 18,000.