Hi Jerome,
I think that is more correctly described as an
amulet than a
tessera. The
obverse reads IAW,
reverse CABAW (your photo's upside down), or 'Jahwe Sabaoth' - the Lord of Hosts - both in mirror image. I don't know its precise significance, but it is relevant to
amulets bearing images relating to Abraxas, as well as the name.
Provenance of these is mostly
Holy Land and surrounding regions. Attached is an
amulet I sold some time ago, which is of the same group of lead objects. Note that the name Abraxas on mine is also inscribed in mirror image.
Regards
Gert