Largest Silver Denomination Struck in Carthage

CNG 103, Lot: 87. Estimate $3000. Sold for $8500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CARTHAGE, First Punic War. Circa 264-241 BC. BI Trishekel (30.5mm, 18.29 g, 12h). Reduced standard. Carthage mint. Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and necklace with pendants / Horse standing right; palm tree in background. MAA 43; CNP 161; Müller, Afrique 100; SNG Copenhagen 189 var. (pellets); SNG Lloyd –; Basel –; Gulbenkian –; de Luynes 3773. Good VF, toned, minor porosity, cleaning scratches and deposits on reverse. Very rare, only two examples in CoinArchives.

The trishekel was the largest silver denomination struck in Carthage (although of billon quality), and was used for only three issues, all during the First Punic War: one with palm and horse, the other two with uraeus and horse.