Can anybody identify this Ancient Greek Coin?

NumisOxide

I don't dabble in ancients. Just got this one in today. I've searched the web but couldn't find one exactly like this, no matching die details. Is this some kind of old copy? Thanks.
About 26mm
Weight: 8.94 g

ThreeCentSilverFL

It may be this:

A Carthaginian tetradrachm minted in Entella, Sicily, circa 320-300 BC. The obverse with Arethusa, wearing triple drop earring and pearl necklace, her hair bound with a wreath of seaweeds, dolphins circling around her. The reverse with the national emblem of Carthage, the horse's head, date palm behind. The Punic legend reading: ‘MMHNT’ "People of the Camp" The century-long struggle between Carthage and Syracuse for dominance in Sicily caused huge bloodshed and destruction. However, it also produced some strikingly beautiful coins. The coins minted at this time exhibit both Greek and Punic designs. The obverse of this coin is clearly influenced by the famous depictions of Arethusa, found on the coins of Syracuse. The reverse though, with its spirited horse head, palm tree and Phoenician inscription, is entirely Punic in character. Weight: 17.25 g. Diameter: 27.10 mm.

https://www.ancient.eu/Carthaginian_Coinage/

NumisOxide

Thanks. This one has writing above Arethusa. Is this an authentic piece from the time period? Its thin.

yosclimber

The writing above Arethusa is "SYRAKOSIAN" (aka Syracuse).
There are some near matches on this page, but they are missing "SYRAKOSIAN".
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/punic/t.html

NumisOxide

@yosclimber said:
The writing above Arethusa is "SYRAKOSIAN" (aka Syracuse).
There are some near matches on this page, but they are missing "SYRAKOSIAN".
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/punic/t.html

Thanks for the link! Like you said I don't see any exact matches. Hmm.

yosclimber

More close matches on the Entella page, but always missing SYRAKOSIAN.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/entella/t.html

This scheduled auction has a similar match to both sides except for the letters, but it's a decadrachm.
The weight of yours suggests didrachm. I don't know if they were every made that thin.
https://coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=1638647&AucID=3482&Lot=29&Val=34359087a767ff963f2ef153b8fb81c8

NumisOxide

Thanks for the help yosclimber! I posted this on the coin community forum ancients forum and they said it wasn't a genuine piece. I only paid $3 for it. Lol

I thought it was some kind of known older copy so I took a chance. One member said it looks like it may of been made in the 1950s or 1960s.

NumisOxide

https://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=372513

SaorAlba

It does appear to be a mid-20th century "tribute". The lettering and spelling are off, but the design of Arethusa is pretty faithfully replicated while the dolphins are a bit "off". For $3 it is a pretty interesting piece and I'd pay that all day long for a piece like that just as a neat piece of art.

Namvet69

Always a great pick up at $3 as a study piece. Plus I just got a mini lesson in a period that I don't collect. Peace Roy

291fifth

I know nothing about that issue but would have rejected it as a probable modern tourist "coin" due to the overall look. It just does not have the right look for an ancient Greek coin.

MrMonkeySwag96

Looks like a bad fake. Coins of Syracuse and Carthage are often counterfeited