Coins from the Iberian peninsula where the earliest known Celtic inscriptions (c.700-450 BC) have been found and where many ancient Celtic tribal names, Celtic personal names and Celtic place-names have been recorded.

GADIR

Gadir, ancient Phoenician seaport colony (Roman Gades), 58 miles NW of Gibraltar, is modern Cadiz in SW Spain. Minting began here after Barcid landing in 237 BC. Later ruled by Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors.

Hercules and Tuna. Left Type. c.100-20 BC. Bronze quadrans (or semis). 19mm. 3.44g. Melkart in lionskin left./ Tuna, Phoenician MP’L and ‘GDR. VB 692, B 1346, C 787. VF, dark olive gree patina, nice head. Ex Dr Hispanicus coll. RARE                                                           Was £45. Now only £25 

The Ba’al of Tyre began as a sun-god. Later, like other deities of Phoenician ports, he became a sea-god called Melkart ‘god of the city’. The Greeks knew him as Herakles.