I received an early Christmas present yesterday. I collect Punic coins and there are not many Carthage AEs I don't have. It is not in very good condition, especially the corrosion on the obverse, but I have never seen this one offered before: Auction image Carthage AE 220-205 BC 8.25 g, 22 mm, 12h O: head Tanit left R: horse rearing left CNP 148; Alexandropoulos 93 It was listed as a similar appearing coin from Panormos, CNP 157. I had checked the auction when it first came online, but just thought is was not a very good example of this coin type from Panormos: Sicily, Panormos 300-264 BC 10. g, 22 mm O: female head left R: horse galloping left; sun with face and rays above CNP 157b When I got an email about the auction closing the next day, I decided to look through the offerings again. I realized the coin just did not look like a Panormos AE should. Punic coin reverses with horses rearing left are uncommon. I checked Viola Corpus Nummorum Punicorum (CNP). It lists Punic coins sequentially by reverse. I discovered it is actually a rare Second Punic War issue from Carthage. Then I remembered an article by Visona that discusses the coin type in "Tradition and innovation in Carthaginian coinage during the Second Punic War" SNR 88: 173-182, 2009 https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=snr-003:2009:88::348 Previously thought to be from Punic Spain, Visona identified it as as an issue of the Carthage mint during the second Punic War because of the find locations, style and use of aligned dies. He identified 2 obverse and 5 reverse dies, but it still seems to be rare with about a dozen examples reported. So, I was fortunate to find a rare addition to my collection at the last minute.
Excellent find, it looks great. I have certainly not seen this AE type from the Second Punic War before, it is a decent size too.
