Egypt, Memphis or Aswan (?), Satrap Sabakes, 335-333 BC, AR TetradrachmHead of Athena right with punch mark X on cheek.
Owl standing right, head facing, crescent and olive spray to left, crescent above a stylized thunderbolt (Sabakes symbol) and Aramaic legend SWYN (Aswan) to right, punch mark X on owl.
Nicolet-Pierre 6, D4/R-; SNG Copenhagen 3; Van Alfen Type I, O4/R-; Mitchiner 10a; Sear GCV 6232. Van Alfen (AJN 14 2002) countermark 3 on obv. & rev.
(24 mm, 16.91 g, 9h).
From LWHT Col.; HJB 166, 15 October 2009, 176.
Sabakes, to whom the issue of this coin type is attributed, was the penultimate Persian Satrap of Egypt. In 333 BC he led a contingent from Egypt to join the Persian army facing Alexander the Great at Issos, where he perished in battle. It is likely that this coin was struck under his governorship, perhaps for use as payment in preparations for the expeditionary force in support of Darius III. Counter marks are commonly present on these coins and most of the surviving examples are worn, indicating an extended period of circulation. This is consistent with the fact that the next coinage to be struck in Egypt was almost a decade later, shortly after the death of Alexander the Great.
n.igma
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Persian Satrap Sabakes perished opposing Alexander III the Great at Issos 333 BC.Egypt, Memphis (or Aswan?), Persian Administration, 343-332 BC, Sabakes as Satrap, AR Tetradrachm
Head of Athena right with punchmark X on cheek / Owl standing right, head facing, crescent and olive spray to left, crescent above a stylized thunderbolt(?) (Sabakes symbol) and SWYN (Aswan) in Aramaic script to right, countermark X on owl.
Nicolet-Pierre 6, D4/R-; SNG Copenhagen 3; Van Alfen Type I, O4/R-; Mitchiner 10a; Sear 6232. Van Alfen (AJN 14 2002) countermark 3 on obv. & rev.
(24 mm, 16.91 g, 9h)
Sabakes, to whom the issue of this coin type is attributed, was the penultimate Persian Satrap of Egypt. In 333 BC he led a contingent from Egypt to join the Persian army facing Alexander the Great at Issos, where he perished in battle. It is likely that this coin was struck under his governorship, perhaps for use as payment in preparations for the expeditionary force in support of Darius III. Countermarks are commonly present on these coins and most of the surviving examples are worn, indicating an extended period of circulation. This is consistent with the fact that the next coinage to be struck in Egypt was almost a decade later, shortly before the death of Alexander the Great.
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Van Alfen Countermark 3 on Egypt, third quarter 4th Century BC, Van Alfen Countermark 3 on obv. and rev. - probably relating to Persian monetary administration.
Coin details: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60763
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