Was happy to receive this in the mail today. It is sort of the mini version of one of my favorite coins. I could not pass it up for $26 shipped. So I decided to take some pics of them side by side. Large one is : Ancient Spain , Carthago Nova Iberia, c. 237 - 206 B.C. Æ Unit. Roman Occupation after 209 BC. Bare-head left (Scipio Africanus?) Horse standing right; palm tree behind. CNH Class XI, 282; SNG BM Spain 127-128; ACIP 609. 10.30g, 23mm, Ex Javier Paris Collection. Roma Numismatics auction E-61 Small one is: Ancient Spain , Carthago Nova Punic Iberia 237-209 BC AE 1/5th Unit Obverse: Male head left (Scipio Africanus?) Reverse: Horses Head right References: CNH pg. 72, 70 , Burgos 554 2.16 grams
Very cool! Even cooler to think that they could have been used together in circulation back when they were new, were separated for possibly 2,000+ years, and are now reunited with you
Awesome, @bcuda !!! Great job! I have the pair, but not scaled, not as purdy, and not as well photo’d... we are not worthy... But, I have some cool info betwixt the coins. Roman Republic Bronze 1/5 unit, 1.606g, maximum diameter 14.6mm, die axis 0o Carthago Nova mint, weight , 209 - 206 B.C. Obv: bare male head (Scipio Africanus?) left Rev: horse head right Ref: SNG BM Spain 129, Burgos 556 VF, rough, rare Ex: Joe Sermarini, Ancient Forum Coins Comment: In order to force Hannibal to retreat from Italy, Scipio Africanus attacked Carthaginian Spain and took Carthago Nova in 209 B.C. References most often identify this type as Punic, struck before 209 B.C., but they also note that the head is "Roman style." Some authorities believe, as we do, that this type was struck after 209, under Roman rule. Carthaginian coins sometimes depicted Barcid generals. This coin possibly depicts the Roman general Scipio Africanus. The Carthaginian city of Carthago Nova produced a remarkable series of coins in silver and bronze for the Barcid rulers of Spain in the years leading up to the Second Punic War (218-202 BC). The male heads shown on these issues are often interpreted as "disguised" portraits of the Barcids themselves, including Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, and Hannibal, in various incarnations of the Phoenician demigod Melqart. The distinctive features of these portraits lend credence to the theory, though it is not universally believed, and even those who accept the "disguised portrait" theory disagree over which Barcid is depicted on which issues. Carthago Nova fell to the brilliant young Roman commander P. Cornelius Scipio (later Africanus) in 209 BC, and around this time a very distinctive head, with a close-cropped "Roman" haircut and youthful features, suddenly appears on the civic coinage, replacing the previous "Barcid" effigies. This head is quite likely that of Scipio himself. It would have been natural for the Punic celators to switch to a portrayal of the current ruling authority, Roman though he be, and the rarity of the issue in both silver and bronze attests to a brief period of issue, before the Roman Senate quashed any notion of a living person (a youthful upstart at that) being depicted on circulating coinage, albeit outside Rome itself. Carthago Nova SCIPIO Africanus Roman Occupation 209-206 BCE Sear Vol2 6575 Left R
Very nice, @bcuda! I got mine a couple weeks ago. I wouldn't have passed that price up either! Mine was a little hard to capture the detail when you move it in hand... Iberia, 2nd Punic War Roman Occupation (?), 209-206 BC AE 1/5 Unit, Carthago Nova mint Obverse: Bare male head left. Reverse: Head of horse right. References: MHC 283; Robinson, Punic, Series 8, d (Gades); ACIP 610; SNG BM Spain 129; CNH p. 72, 70 Rare. My larger "Scipio" isn't very nice, but its got the basics and checks the box enough for me (for now)... Punic Iberia Roman Occupation, 209-206 BC AE Unit, Carthago Nova mint Obverse: Bare male head left. Reverse: Horse standing right; palm tree in background. References: CNH Class XI, 282; SNG BM Spain 127-128; ACIP 609 Size: 22.8mm, 10.49g Ex: Forvm Ancient Coins Rare. I also recently got this interesting lil one too... Punic Iberia Carthaginian Occupation, 237-209 BC AE 1/5 Unit, Carthago Nova mint Obverse: Wreathed head of Tanit right. Reverse: Head of horse left. References: ACIP 590, SNG BM Spain –, Voila 279 Size: 13.66mm, 1.59g Rare.
