Stater

These electrum staters were struck to pay Carthaginian mercenary forces during the intense military campaigns in Sicily, where Carthage and Syracuse fought a grinding series of wars through the late fourth century. Mercenaries demanded hard money, and electrum — readily sourced and efficiently struck — met that demand faster than pure gold coinage could have.

The specific electrum composition, at roughly 72% gold, aligns with naturally occurring deposits from North African and Sardinian sources rather than deliberately alloyed metal, suggesting Carthage was working with available bullion rather than engineering a precise standard.