Electrum stater with a hole COTD

[gallienus1]

This is a coin I bought 23 years ago. It is a little worn, so I would grade it a VF at best or aVF at worst, and it has a hole. But the style just screams Carthage, so I really love it! Being a portrait guy, and as the coin is anepigraphic, the hole does not trouble me at all. (Although I understand not all collectors feel the same)

ZEUGITANIA, Carthage, (c.310-290 B.C.), electrum stater, (7.394 grams), Group V, obv. head of Tanit to left, wreathed with corn, wearing necklace, dotted border, rev. horse standing to right, double exergue line below, dot before horse's front leg, dotted border, (S.6462, Jenkins 280).

[Jay GT4]

Fanatistic peice, even with the hole.  Doesn't bother me in the least.  I'd be happy to have it in my collection.

[gallienus1]

Thanks Jay GT4.

I'm so glad you like it as well, I think we are very lucky to have these little works of art from the remote past, hole or no hole!

[quadrans]

Wow 😲
Great coin,  congratulation 🤗👍

Joe/Q.

[gallienus1]

Thanks Joe!

[Serendipity]

I was trying to work out what COTD means and, yes, your anepigraphic electrum stater is definitely the Coin of the Day! You shouldn't be too distracted by the hole. There's an interesting CoinWeek article by the inimitable Mike Markowitz about ancient holed coins: https://coinweek.com/the-hole-truth-ancient-coins-that-were-pierced/

[Curtis JJ]

Nice one! I've got a pair of these (one is in my gallery: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=180793). They're very lovely coins in the simplicity of their design.

My other one (image attached) isn't pierced, but it has an interesting graffito on the reverse. That doesn't bother me either. In fact, I've spent lots of time tracking down other examples of the same type with the same graffiti (triangles/deltas & wedges/lambdas) in the same places. Could they be connected somehow, or just coincidence? (I've found maybe half a dozen examples.)

I've just picked up the Jenkins-Lewis book on Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins. It's one type where I've always had trouble recognizing the dies and periods/groups, but hopefully I can work on that.

Those coins aren't holed, but I just posted a twice-pierced Alexandrian Drachm to my gallery of "Errors, Preparation Marks, Alterations, Damage & Other Physical Characteristics":
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=184303

I usually don't mind coins holed in antiquity (or cut in antiquity, or graffito, etc.). In fact, in that case and one other Alexandrian Drachm, I really find them quite interesting. To me it's an added bit of "object biography." In the case of Alexandrian Drachms, you see the same double-piercing all the time. It's clear from looking at the positioning that they were displayed with the reverse facing up. I've seen them described in a few references as "amulets" or "funerary amulets."

[gallienus1]

I'm glad you like it Serendipity, and thanks for the link to the interesting CoinWeek article. 

Thanks Curtis JJ, your example with graffito on the reverse is wonderful. The fact that some research you have done has found examples of the same type with the same graffiti, in the same place on the flan, leads me to think you are probably right about it there being some relationship. What we call bankers marks were done with a punch, seen plenty of times on Republican denarii or Athenian Owls, but I cannot recall seeing punched countermarks on a Carthaginian electrum stater.  So, could scratching information have been an alternative commercial practice by Carthaginian merchants? Perhaps as a sign that the coin had been weighed or tested by a merchant and was considered fit for continued circulation?

I completely agree a punch mark, hole or graffito gives an added bit of "object biography" to an ancient coin. Logically punch marks or graffito would have been intended to aid circulation as some kind of verification. Holes suggest a coin had an important post circulation purpose.

[Virgil H]

Beautiful coin. I also don't mind most holes, test cuts, etc, especially when they don't impact the design.

Virgil

[gallienus1]

Thanks Virgil, we are both on the same page when it comes to holes and test cuts!