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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Holyland Rarities||View Options:   | | | |
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.GS114664. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), F, rough, toned, oval flan, weight 3.590 g, maximum diameter 15.8 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $220.00 (€206.80)
Judean Kingdom, Herod the Great, 37 - 4 B.C., Barbaric Imitative Issue
Herod's most famous and ambitious project was his magnificent expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 20 - 19 B.C. Although work on out-buildings continued another eighty years, the new Temple was finished in a year and a half. To comply with religious law, Herod employed 1,000 priests as masons and carpenters. The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. Today, only the four retaining walls of the Temple Mount remain standing, including the Western Wall.JD111347. Leaded bronze prutah, Hendin 6219e, VF, barbaric issue, weight 1.553 g, maximum diameter 15.1 mm, die axis 180o, unofficial mint, c. 21 - 12 B.C.; obverse blundered imitation of Greek: HPW BACI (of King Herod), anchor; reverse two cornucopias splayed outward, adorned with ribbons, caduceus between horns (blundered, failing to understand the items depicted); rare; $180.00 (€169.20)
Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.GS114666. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), gF, toned, oval flan, a little rough, weight 3.724 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $180.00 (€169.20)
Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D., Caesarea Maritima, Samaria, Syria Palestina
Determining the emperor on this Holy Land issue was no easy task. Ultimately, the crude, schematic, style of the eagle provided the solution. A strikingly similar eagle was found for Severus Alexander under RPC Online VI T8861, represented by two specimens at the time of this writing (Jan 2024). The obv. legends of both coins were worn or off flan, but the portrait on the London specimen highly suggested the last Severan ruler while the second coin (Wildwinds example) sported a different head, resembling the one found on our coin. And yet, we know both pieces listed on RPC Online must be related to one another by virtue of the rev. die they share. Kadman 72, attributed to Caracalla, most likely was also struck from the same die and with a head again very similar to the Wildwinds coin. Finally, a third bronze (SNG ANS 6 793) with a head like ours (and possibly die-identical to the Wildwinds specimen) can be found listed as "specimen #2" under RPC Online VI, T30574---for Elagabalus! But from examining the reverse legend, one can confidently conclude that the title of Metropolis is included, which was first awarded Caesarea Maritima under Severus Alexander. Whew!RP113710. Bronze AE 19, cf. RPC Online VI T8861 (2 spec.); BMC Palestine, p. 27, 118 ff.; Kadman 72 corr. (Caracalla); ANS SNG 6 793 corr. (same) (see notes), aF, rough stable surfaces, tight flan cutting off legends, weight 3.670 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 180o, Caesarea Maritima (Keisaria, Israel) mint, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D.; obverse laureate head right, legend off flan/obscure; reverse S P Q R (P reversed) within wreath supported by standing eagle facing with head left and wings spread, legend off flan/obscure; ex Frank Sternberg AG Zurich; ex Glendining & Co. auction 5 March 1970, lot 467 (part of); extremely rare variety; $160.00 (€150.40)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Neapolis, Samaria, Syria Palestina
Neapolis, Samaria, the biblical Shechemis, is now Nablus, Israel. It is the site of Joseph's Tomb and Jacob's well. Jesus spoke here to a Samaritan woman. Neapolis is home to about half the remaining worldwide Samaritan population of 600.RP98112. Bronze AE 24, SNG ANS 1007 (same dies); cf. Rosenberger II 53; BMC Palestine p. 61, 103; Sofaer 109 - 110; Baramki AUB 36, nice VF, excellent portrait, attractive green patina with highlighting earthen deposits, some legend not fully struck, edge splits, weight 6.701 g, maximum diameter 24.1 mm, die axis 180o, Neapolis (Nablus, Israel) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AVT K M AVP - ANTWNIN, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder; reverse ΦΛ NE - CVP Π (Flavia Neapolis Syria Palestina), Tyche standing slightly left, head left, kalathos on head, rudder held by tiller in right hand, cornucopia in left hand; ex Menashe Landman Collection; rare; $140.00 (€131.60)
Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Ascalon, Philistia, Judaea
Askalon lies on the shore of the Mediterranean, ten miles north of Gaza and about 40 miles south of Joppa. Herod the Great ruled all of Palestine, except Askalon, which remained a free city. Today, a national park at Ashqelon, Israel includes ruins of Canaanite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Crusader walls and buildings. Ascalon's era of autonomy, used to date this coin, began in 104 B.C.RP115001. Bronze AE 23, RPC III 3990; Sofaer 108; De Saulcy 10; SNG Cop 39; BMC Palestine p. 124, 146; SNG ANS -, gF, dark patina, light marks, light earthen deposits, weight 10.585 g, maximum diameter 22.6 mm, die axis 0o, Askalon (Ashqelon, Israel) mint, 111 - 112 A.D.; obverse CEBACTOS (or similar), laureate head right; reverse ACKAΛO, Tyche-Astarte standing left on galley, standard vertical before in right hand, aphlaston cradled in left arm, altar in left field, dove over EIC (year 215) lower right; ex Agora Numismatics; rare; $100.00 (€94.00)
Ascalon, Philistia, Judaea, Late 1st Century B.C.
Askalon lies on the shore of the Mediterranean, ten miles north of Gaza and about 40 miles south of Joppa. Herod the Great ruled all of Palestine, except Askalon, which remained a free city. Today, a national park at Ashqelon, Israel includes ruins of Canaanite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Crusader walls and buildings.JD111091. Bronze AE 16, cf. RPC Online I 4873 (10 spec.); Sofaer 47; Baramki AUB 52; Rosenberger 79; BMC Palestine p. 110, 36, gF, green patina, earthen encrustations, irregular flan with part of the edge ragged, weight 2.831 g, maximum diameter 15.9 mm, die axis 0o, Askalon (Ashqelon, Israel) mint, late 1st century B.C.; obverse bare-headed and beardless young male head right; reverse prow of war galley left with ram, acrostolium, and oars, AΣ above (Σ in the form of a squared C); rare; $90.00 (€84.60)
Seleukid Kingdom, Antiochus VII Euergetes Sidetes, 138 - 129 B.C.
After his brother Demetrius was captured by the Parthians, Antiochus VII was made king. He married Demetrius' wife Cleopatra Thea. He defeated the usurper Tryphon at Dora and laid siege to Jerusalem in 134. According to Josephus, the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus opened King David's sepulcher and removed three thousand talents, which he then paid Antiochus to spare the city. Sidetes then attacked the Parthians, supported by a body of Jews under Hyrcanus, and briefly took back Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Media before being ambushed and killed by Phraates II. His brother Demetrius II had by then been released, but the Seleucid realm was now restricted to Syria. Antiochus VII was the last Seleucid king of any stature.
After seeing a coin specimen with the ΓA monogram in the outer left field and a probable ΛΠ in the outer right, one wonders if these marks are regularly paired and are not often noticed simply because the flans for this coin issue are typically small in comparison to the dies used.GY113546. Bronze AE 16, cf. SNG Spaer 2113 ff., Houghton-Lorber II 2119.1 f., Houghton CSE 880, HGC 9 1102 (R1), F, chunky tight flan with a solid black patina and sandy dusting; small die break on reverse in left field, weight 3.101 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, die axis 0o, probably Ptolemais-Ake (Acre, Israel) mint, 136/5 or 135/4 B.C.; obverse bust of Athena in Corinthian helmet right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIOXOY (downwards on right) EYEPΓETOY (downwards on left), owl standing three-quarters right with head facing, ΓA monogram in outer left field, date (HOP or ΞOP - Seleukid era year 177 or 178) mostly off-flan in exergue; rare; $80.00 (€75.20)
Philadelphia, Arabia Petraea, 164 - 165 A.D.
Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament, was renamed Philadelphia by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, and is today Amman, Jordan. Genesis identifies the Ammonites as descendants of Ben-ammi, who was born of an incestuous union between a drunken Lot and his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38). The Israelite Jephthah crossed the Jordan River "to attack the Ammonites, and the Lord delivered them into his hands" (Judges 11:32). Before the battle, he swore an oath that, for victory, he would sacrifice the first thing to greet him when he returned home - it was his daughter, his his only child, who came out to meet him with tambourines and dancing. At the sight of her, he tore his clothes and said, "Oh, my daughter, you have broken my heart!" and he fulfilled the vow he had made (Judges 11:34-39).GB110783. Bronze AE 17, RPC Online IV.3 6656.4; Sofaer 8; SNG ANS 1379; Spijkerman 3; Rosenberger 28; BMC Arabia p. 37, 2; Meshorer City Coins 257, aF, dark brown patina, earthen deposits, porosity, edge cracks, weight 3.190 g, maximum diameter 17.1 mm, die axis 0o, Philadelphia (Amman, Jordan) mint, rule of Marcus Aurelius, 164 - 165 A.D.; obverse ΦIΛ KOI CYPI, wreathed in grain, veiled and draped bust of Demeter right, two stalks of grain before her; reverse ETOYC ZKC (year 277 [of the Pompeian Era]), two snakes with two stalks of grain between them, rising from cista mystica (wicker basket); Coin Archives records only one specimen of the type at auction in the last two decades; rare; $50.00 (€47.00)
Uncertain, Levante, 4th Century B.C.
The only other example of this type known to Forum is CNG auction 93 (22 May 2013), lot 599.GS94072. Silver obol, Unpublished in references, VF, toned, die break on the reverse, etched surfaces, weight 0.714 g, maximum diameter 9.3 mm, die axis 45o, 4th century B.C.; obverse head and neck of bull right, head turned facing; reverse owl standing left, head turned facing, AΘE downward on left, olive spray and crescent upper right; ex Leu web-auction 9 (7 Sep 2019), lot 563; the second known!; SOLD
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