Ancient & Islamic Coins

Greek Coinages, SICILY, Lilybaion (as Cape of Melkart [Rash Melqart]), Tetradrachm, c. 330-305, charioteer, holding goad in right hand and reins in left, driving galloping quadriga left, crowned by Nike flying right, rev. head of Tanit right, wearing crown of grain leaves, pearl necklace and triple-pendant ear-ring, two dolphins in front, one behind, 17.16g (Jenkins 56 (O19/R43); SNG ANS 733 and Lockett 742, same obv. die). Good extremely fine, a superb example of classical style with attractive old cabinet tone £8,000-£10,000

Provenance: Nomos Auktion 5 (Zurich), 24 October 2011, lot 125.

Rash Melqart was established around the middle of the 4th century as one of the two permanent Carthaginian mints in western Sicily (the other located at Panormus). Both mints focused on producing coins that imitated Syracusan designs and employed die sinkers of varying ability. The engraver responsible for the dies that struck this coin ambitiously took the dekadrachms of Euainetos as his model, and while some liberties have been taken with the design, the elegance and graceful style of Euainetos’ original masterpiece have been superbly replicated