CALABRIA. Tarentum. Punic occupation, circa 212-209 BC. Half Shekel (Silver, 18 mm, 3.85 g, 7 h), Kritos, Ek..., and Zo..., magistrates. A contemporary imitation. Youth on horseback right, holding palm frond in his left hand and crowning horse with wreath held in rght; below, KPITO-Σ. Rev. TAPAΣ Phalanthos riding dolphin left, holding Nike in his extended right hand and trident in left; monograms before and behind. Cf. HN Italy 1080, SNG ANS 1269 and Vlasto 978-80 (for prototype). Exceedingly rare and unusual as a contemporary imitation. Minor die break on the obverse and the reverse struck a little bit off center, otherwise, about extremely fine.
The half-shekels struck at Tarentum under Punic rule are generally characterized by a remarkably uniform appearance. Only a small number of dies were used, and the style is highly consistent. Not so with the present specimen: although its types and legends correspond to those of the official issues, the clumsy style and awkwardly executed legend clearly identify it as a contemporary imitation - an exceptional rarity in this final series of Tarentine coinage