NGC Very Rare Coin 200BC-100BC Head Of Melkart Punic Iberian Dolpin Gadir/Gades

This is an extremely rare NGC graded ancient coin minted from the 2nd century to 1st century BC, (200 BC to 100 BC), featuring the head of Melkart (Melqart), the Punic god of Tyre, on the obverse and a dolphin swimming left on the reverse. There are few known examples of this coin. , romanized: Milqart) was the tutelary god of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre and a major deity in the Phoenician and Punic pantheons.

He may have been central to the founding-myths of various Phoenician colonies throughout the Mediterranean, as well as the source of several myths concerning the exploits of Heracles. Many cities were thought to be founded (in one way or another) and protected by Melqart, no doubt springing from the original Phoenician practice of building a Temple of Melqart at new colonies. Similar to Tammuz and Adonis, he symbolized an annual cycle of death and rebirth. This coin comes from the ancient city of Gadir, later known as Gades, which was a Phoenician colony in what is now modern-day Spain. NGC certifies most US, world, and ancient coins, tokens, and medals. The certification process consists of authentication, grading, attribution, and encapsulation in plastic holders or Coin slabs.

NGC certification offers significant protection against counterfeiting, misattribution, overgrading, and damage. This coin is extremely rare with few known and was minted in Gades following the fall of Carthage.

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