144, Lot: 41. Estimate $200. Sold for $257. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SICILY, Siculo-Punic. Carthaginian Occupation. Circa 213-210 BC. AR Half Shekel (19mm, 3.44 g). Laureate head of Melkart left / Elephant walking right; Punic 'A' in exergue. Burnett 116; SNG Copenhagen 383. VF, dark hoard patina, off-center.

From the Garth R. Drewry Collection.

Initially attributed to a Spanish mint by Robinson, the discovery of examples in the Enna hoard and other Sicilian hoards (Burnett, SNR 62, pg. 11) makes it more likely that this coin was struck in Carthage for use in the Sicilian campaign of 213-210 BC. Whether the obverse head is to represent the god Melkart or a member of Hannibal's family is still debated.