| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31009 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Ancients SICULO-PUNIC. Sicily. Entella. Ca. 300-289 BC. AR tetradrachm (27mm, 17.00 gm, 9h). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 -4/5. Head of young Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / 'MHMHNT (Punic for People of the Camp), head and neck of horse left; transverse club before, palm tree behind, all within dotted border. HGC 2, 295. Jenkins 325-346. In hand, this coin is simply breathtaking, with its incredible dark hematite toning that contrasts brilliantly against a seemingly internal glow, creating a mesmerizing visual experience. This captivating interplay of color and light draws the viewer into the coin's exquisite artistry, from the meticulous detailing of the heads to the exceptional craftsmanship of the palm tree's trunk, all together this piece is irresistible. The location of the main Carthaginian mint in Sicily, identified by Punic inscription as "The Camp," has long been a matter of conjecture and dispute. Recent research, adopted by Oliver Hoover in his Handbook of Coins of Sicily (CNG 2012), suggests the "Camp" mint to have been Entella, a fortress-like city located in central-west Sicily. Founded by the Trojans in the 500s BC, Entella was conquered by a group of Campanian mercenaries in about 410 BC who quickly sold their services to the Carthaginians (alternatively, the Campanians might have been employed by Carthage before they took the city). The city remained a Punic stronghold through most of the fourth century, although the Syracusan tyrant Timoleon briefly drove them out circa 342 BC (a peace treaty dividing Sicily, into Greek and Carthaginian spheres of interest in 338 BC, returned Entella to Punic control). The Siculo-Punic coinage of Entella seems to have been intended mainly to pay mercenary soldiers who were used to being paid in Greek coin, as the silver tetradrachms adhere closely to the Attic weight standard. Designs were usually based on the ubiquitous issues of Syracuse (obverse), but with reverses displaying their Carthaginian allegiance (the palm tree, phonix in Greek, is likely a canting pun on the term Phoenician). Horses also feature prominently, likely referring to the outstanding cavalry of the Carthaginians and their Campanian allies. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-siculo-punic-sicily-entella-ca-300-289-bc-ar-tetradrachm-27mm-1700-gm-9h-ngc-choice-auand-9733-5-/a/3115-31009.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 5000-6000 USD |  |
