Unique

412, Lot: 30. Estimate $1000. Sold for $2750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Panormos (as Ziz). Circa 340-320 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 16.47 g, 4h). Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand, reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath she holds with both hands; Punic Š B’L ṢYṢ in exergue / Head of Arethousa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; shell below chin, four dolphins swimming around. Jenkins, Punic 68 var. (O–/R55 [unlisted obv. die]); CNP 326h (this coin referenced); HGC 2, 1022 var. (legend). Good VF, lightly toned, reverse smoothed or filled to remove scratch. Unique tetradrachm with long legend.

Ex Rauch 85 (26 November 2009), lot 93 (after repair and cleaning); Lanz 146 (25 May 2009), lot 31 (before repair and cleaning).

This longer legend was previously known on rare litrai that are traditionally dated earlier than this tetradrachm, circa 400-380 BC (cf. Jenkins, Punic, pl. 24, 12). While the meaning of the first letter is uncertain, the remainder, B’L ZIZ, certainly refers to “Baal of Ziz”, just as B’L TRZ on coins of Tarsos refers to “Baal of Tarsos.”