Opening Bid :
Current Bid:
Reserve Amount:

You are the current high bidder on this lot with a secret maximum bid of %bidPretty%.
(%bidBP% w/Buyer's Premium (BP) Buyer's Premium).


Notice: You are the current high bidder on this lot, but the next highest bid is within one increment. That means that any additional bids on this lot will outbid you. To increase your chances of winning, enter your highest maximum bid.

You are the current high bidder on this lot with a secret maximum bid of %bidPretty%.
(%bidBP% w/Buyer's Premium (BP) Buyer's Premium).

You are the current high bidder on this lot.
(Sign-In to see your maximum bid)

Your secret maximum bid of %bidPretty% has been outbid.

Your secret maximum bid of %bidPretty% does not meet the reserve.

(Sign-In to see your maximum bid)

Your secret maximum bid does not meet the reserve.
(Sign-In to see your maximum bid)

Lot
24416

Ancients: Carthage. Time of Hannibal Barca (ca. 221-201 BC). AR shekel (6.07 gm). ...

2011 January New York Signature World & Ancient Coins Auction #3012

Sold for: Sign-in or Join (free & quick)
Auction Ended On: Jan 3, 2011
Item Activity: 8 Internet/mail/phone bidders Number of Bidders
6,032 page views
Location: Waldorf Astoria
301 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Description:
Carthage. Time of Hannibal Barca (ca. 221-201 BC). AR shekel (6.07 gm). Second Punic War issue. Carthage or uncertain mint in Sicily, ca. 213-210 BC. Male head left, with long sideburn (Hannibal as Herakles-Melqart?) / Elephant advancing right; in exergue, Punic aleph. A. Burnett, "The Enna hoard and the silver coinage of the Syracusan democracy," SNR 62 (1983), 114-5. P. VisonĂ , "Carthaginian Coinage in Perspective," AJN 55. E. S. G. Robinson, "Punic Coins of Spain and their Bearing on the Roman Republican Series," Essays Mattingly series 8a, pl. III (Gades). SNG Copenhagen 382. Extremely rare- only two specimens in the Enna hoard; one of perhaps five or fewer in existence. Hairline flan crack. Well struck from dies of exceptional style and attractively toned. Good extremely fine.

This coin is a famous type featuring an elephant, the animal used by the great general Hannibal Barca to bring the Second Punic War over the Alps and into Rome's backyard, and a mysterious and quite distinctive laureate head. The head has been variously described in the literature as a depiction of Herakles-Melqart, a Semitic deity inherited by the Carthaginians from their Tyrian mother city, or Hannibal in the guise of the god. Modern scholarship, which tends to be suspicious of early claims to see portraits in images of gods tends to interpret the head as that of Herakles-Melqart. However, the distinct physiognomy of the nose and other facial features, as well as the sideburns, seem to suggest an attempt at portraiture. In such a case it is difficult to avoid the possibility that Hannibal is actually depicted here - remarkable considering that no other portraits of the great Carthaginian general survive from his lifetime. Estimate: .

View large image(s) of this item

Service and Handling Description: Coins & Currency (view shipping information)

Sales Tax information  |  Terms and Conditions

Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments

Find Auction Prices for Comparable Items:

Photographs:
Sign-in or Join (free & quick) to see the full image


Floor Auctions: Live & Coming Soon

Fine Art

05/22/2013

Entertainment

05/30/2013

Nature & Science

06/02/2013

US Coins

06/05/2013

Arms & Armor

06/09/2013

Silver

06/14/2013

Fine & Rare Wine

06/14/2013

Decorative Art

06/15/2013

Historical

06/22/2013

Old West

06/22/2013

US Coins

07/11/2013

Heritage Membership

764,707 bidder-members
$898,242,047 sold in the last year

 

Quality Consignments Wanted

Only 7 days left to consign to the 2013 July 11 - 14 Summer FUN US Coin Signature Auction - Orlando!

 

E-mail David Mayfield or call
1-800-872-6467 x1277

We expect to have one of our Consignment Directors visiting your area soon. Please call to arrange an appointment.

Video Video: Why Consign?

Testimonials:
Thank you for everything you have done for us.
Suzan Roper

HA.com receives more traffic than any other auction house website. To compare for yourself, visit: compete.com

 

In The News

Hall of Fame