The Greek. Calabria. Tarentum AR Hemiobol? (0.57 g). Circa 280-228 BC. Unique.

Obverse: Two opposed crescents.
Reverse: Palm branch.

Reference: unpublished (this coin is unique in no standard catalogue)
Very Fine-Extremely Fine condition, dark tone.
AR silver, 0.57 g, 9.5 mm.
A remarkable and unusual fractional silver issue from the important Magna Graecia city of Tarentum. The obverse displays a striking design of two opposed crescents, a motif rarely encountered in the Tarentine series and particularly unusual for the city’s small silver fractions. The reverse features a palm branch, a symbol widely associated in the ancient world with victory, honor, and sacred significance.

Unlike the more familiar Tarentine coinage depicting Taras riding a dolphin or mounted warriors, this piece belongs to a much scarcer and less understood group of fractional issues. Its minimalist yet symbolic design suggests it may represent a short-lived or experimental emission within the Tarentine monetary system during the late 3rd century BC.

The absence of a standard catalogue reference indicates that this specimen likely represents an unpublished or extremely rare variety, making it particularly appealing for collectors and researchers of Magna Graecia fractional coinage.

A compact yet intriguing piece with distinctive iconography, offering both numismatic rarity and scholarly interest.

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