Trishekel

Features

Issuer Carthage (Zeugitana)
Type Standard circulation coin
Years 264 BC - 241 BC
Value Trishekel (3)
Currency Zeugitana - Shekel
Composition Silver
Weight 18.84 g
Diameter 31 mm
Shape Round (irregular)
Technique Hammered
Demonetized Yes
Number
N#
195040
References MAA# 43,
Jacques Alexandropoulos; 2008. Les monnaies de l'Afrique antique, 400 avant J.-C. - 40 après J.-C.. Presses Universitaires du Midi, Toulouse, France.
Müller Cyr# 100,
Christian Tuxen Falbe, Jacob Christian Linberg, Ludvig Müller; 1860. Numismatique de l'ancienne Afrique / Volume 1. Les monnaies de la Cyrénaique. Imprimerie de Bianco Luno, Copenhague, Denmark.
SNG Copenhagen# 189
Niels Breitenstein, Willy Schwabacher; 1942. Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum: Royal Collection of Coins and Medals. Danish National Museum / Volume 1. Italy, Part 1 : Etruria - Campania. Einar Munksgaard, Copenhagen, Denmark.
And 43 more volumes.

Obverse

Head of Tanit (Kore-Persephone) to left, wearing barley-wreath, triple pendant earring and necklace.

Reverse

Horse standing to right; palm tree in background.

Mint

Carthage, Tunisia

Comments

The great emergency that warranted the striking of this large-denomination issue can be found in the conflict which came to be known as the First Punic War, begun in 264 BC, that required Carthage to assemble a vast mercenary army to meet the Roman threat in Sicily. According to Philinos of Agrigentum this army comprised 50,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 60 elephants including Ligurians, Celts and Iberians (see Polybius, The Histories, 1:17.4). Such a large mercenary army entailed a considerable outlay of money, and as the struggle dragged on over a period of more than twenty years the Carthaginian state steadily edged ever closer to bankruptcy under the strain the war effort placed on its coffers.

Trishekels were struck in three issues during the First Punic War: the present issue with horse and palm, the other two with horse and uraeus on the reverse. The abrupt (and what must have been alarming) decline of the metal quality between this early issue and the later ones is indicative of the dire straits which the Carthaginian state was reduced to, and its rapidly dwindling precious metal supply.

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Date VG F VF XF AU UNC
ND (264 BC - 241 BC)  Photo

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Past sales

Pictures Sale Date Grade Sold price
Picture 1 of a sold Trishekel
Roma Numismatics
Auction XVII
Lot 347
Internet Archive
28 Mar 2019 VF USD 10 105.57
(GBP 8000.00)
(+ buyer's premium)
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