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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Phoenicia||View Options:  |  |  |     

Ancient Coins of Phoenicia

Phoenicia, from the Greek Phoiníkē meaning either "land of palm trees" or "purple country," was located on the Mediterranean coastline of what is now Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Syria, and southwest Turkey, though some colonies later reached the Western Mediterranean and even the Atlantic Ocean, the most famous being Carthage. The enterprising, sea-based Phoenicians spread across the Mediterranean from 1500 to 300 B.C. Their civilization was organized in city-states, similar to those of ancient Greece, perhaps the most notable of which were Tyre, Sidon, Arados, Berytus and Carthage. Each city-state was politically independent and it is uncertain to what extent the Phoenicians viewed themselves as a single nationality. In terms of archaeology, language, lifestyle, and religion there was little to set the Phoenicians apart as markedly different from other Semitic Canaanites. The Phoenician alphabet is an ancestor of all modern alphabets. By their maritime trade, the Phoenicians spread the use of the alphabet to Anatolia, North Africa, and Europe, where it was adopted by the Greeks, who in turn transmitted it to the Romans.

Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy IV Philopator, 221 - 204 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |IV| |Philopator,| |221| |-| |204| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
An apparently unique tetradrachm with the Akko mintmark and the two letters perhaps associated with Sosibius, advisor to Ptolemy IV.

Ptolemy IV's surname Philopator means father lover, ironic since according to some authorities he poisoned his father. Ptolemy IV is a major protagonist of the apocryphal 3 Maccabees, which describes events following the Battle of Raphia, in both Jerusalem and Alexandria. He was a cruel and evil monarch.
SH64462. Silver tetradrachm, unpublished, cf. Svoronos 786 (Ptolemy II, different monogram), SNG Milan -, SNG Cop -; BMC Ptolemies -, Noeske -, Hosking -, VF, weight 13.792 g, maximum diameter 25.5 mm, die axis 0o, Galilee, Ake Ptolemais (Acre, Israel) mint, 205 B.C.; obverse diademed bust of Ptolemy right wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, ΠTO monogram at left, retrograde ΣΩ right; perhaps unique; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander the Great, 336 - 323 B.C., Possible Lifetime Issue

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |336| |-| |323| |B.C.,| |Possible| |Lifetime| |Issue||tetradrachm|
Ancient Arados, surrounded by massive walls on an island about 800 m long by 500 m wide, about 50 km north of Tripolis, was an important trading city with an artificial harbor on the east side toward the mainland. Its powerful navy and ships are mentioned in the monuments of Egypt and Assyria. The Biblical "Arvad" is noted as the forefather of the "Arvadites," a Canaanite people. Arados directly ruled some nearby cities on the mainland, such as Marat (Amrit today) nearly opposite the island, and held hegemony over the northern Phoenician cities from the mouth of the Orontes to the northern limits of Lebanon (similar to Sidon in the south). Under the Persians, Arwad was allowed to unite in a confederation with Sidon and Tyre, with a common council at Tripolis. In 332 B.C., Arados submitted to Alexander the Great without a struggle under her king Strato, who sent his navy to aid Alexander in the reduction of Tyre. The city received the favor of the Seleucid kings of Syria and enjoyed the right of asylum for political refugees. It is mentioned in a rescript from Rome about 138 B.C. in connection with other cities and rulers of the East, to show favor to the Jews. This was after Rome had begun to interfere in the affairs of Judea and Syria and indicates that Arwad was still of considerable importance at that time.Arados
SL99295. Silver tetradrachm, Price 3309, SNG Cop 796, Müller Alexander 796, HGC 3.1 943k (S), NGC Ch XF, strike 5/5, surface 3/5, scratches (4285504-008), weight 17.26 g, maximum diameter 28.8 mm, die axis 75o, Arados (Arwad, Syria) mint, lifetime or early posthumous, c. 328 - c. 320 B.C.; obverse head of Herakles right, wearing Nemean Lion skin, scalp over head, forepaws tied at neck; reverse Zeus Aëtophoros enthroned left, eagle in extended right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, right leg forward (archaic lifetime style), (Arados monogram) under throne, AΛEΞANΔPOY downward behind, BAΣIΛEΩΣ in exergue; from a private collector in New Jersey, NGC| Lookup; scarce; SOLD


Persian Empire, Gebal-Byblos, Phoenicia, King Azba'al, c. 400 - 376 B.C.

|Persian| |Empire|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gebal-Byblos,| |Phoenicia,| |King| |Azba'al,| |c.| |400| |-| |376| |B.C.||dishekel|
In the Persian period (538 - 332 B.C.), Gebal was a vassal kingdom established by the Persians.

Byblos was famous for its papyrus - the word bible is derived from Byblos.
SH32538. Silver dishekel, SNG Cop 132, SGCV II 6011, Rouvier 639, Dewing 2662, attractive aEF, weight 13.187 g, maximum diameter 26.5 mm, Byblos (Jbail, Lebanon) mint, obverse galley left, lion-head prow, with three hoplites, each helmeted and holding shield, Phoenician monogram ayin zayin (AZ), hippocamp and murex below; reverse Phoenician legend, "Azbaal, king of Gebal", lion attacking bull; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander the Great, 336 - 323 B.C. Sidon, Phoenicia

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |336| |-| |323| |B.C.| |Sidon,| |Phoenicia||stater|
SH08321. Gold stater, Price 3471, VF, weight 8.48 g, maximum diameter 17.4 mm, die axis 45o, Sidon (Saida, Lebanon) mint, obverse head of Athena right in crested Corinthian helmet ornamented with a sphinx; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing left holding wreath and ship's mast, branch at feet left; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander the Great, 336 - 323 B.C.

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |336| |-| |323| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Lifetime or very early posthumous issue struck under Menes or Laomedon.
GS113426. Silver tetradrachm, Price 3332, Müller Alexander 1370, Duyrat series 11, SNG Cop 802, SNG Mün 735, SNG Fitz 2162, SNG Alpha Bank 675, SNG Ash 2991, SNG Saroglos 579, Choice gVF, superb style in sculptural high relief, excellent centering, attractive toning, flow lines, bumps and marks, weight 17.147 g, maximum diameter 27.3 mm, die axis 180o, Phoenicia, Arados (Arwad, Syria) mint, c. 324 - 320 B.C.; obverse head of Herakles right, wearing Nemean Lion skin, scalp over head, forepaws tied at neck; reverse Zeus Aëtophoros enthroned left, right leg forward (archaic lifetime style), eagle in extended right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, long lotus tipped scepter vertical behind in left, kerykeion left, A over P monogram under throne, AΛΕΞANΔPOY downward behind, BAΣIΛΕΩΣ in exergue; from the PS Collection, ex Musa Numismatic Arts, ex Stacks Coin Galleries 908 (10 Sep 2008), lot 53; ex Spink Numismatic Circular (Jan 1948); SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander the Great, 336 - 323 B.C.

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |336| |-| |323| |B.C.||stater|
SH12598. Gold stater, Price 3464, Newell Dated 6, pl.. 1, 9, VF, weight 8.543 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Sidon (Saida, Lebanon) mint, 333 - 305 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right in crested Corinthian helmet; reverse AΛEΞANΔP-OY, Nike standing left, wreath in right hand, ship's mast in left, barley grain in lower right field; light scratches and dings; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 106 - 105 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |106| |-| |105| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH86384. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 238, 99 (also with Phoenician letter nun between legs); HGC 10 357; Cohen DCA 919; Baramki AUB -, EF, well centered and struck on a tight flan, toned, marks, encrustations, some light corrosion, weight 13.857 g, maximum diameter 27.4 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 106 - 105 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date AK (year 21) over club left, HAP monogram right, Phoenician letter nun (control letter) between legs; ex Roma Numismatics e-sale 39 (26 Aug 2017), lot 340; SOLD


Macedonian Kingdom, Alexander the Great, 336 - 323 B.C.

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Macedonian| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |336| |-| |323| |B.C.||stater|
The ancient city of Byblos stood near the mouth of the Adonis River (called the Abraham River today) and was a site for the veneration of Adonis, the god of love and beauty in Greek mythology. He was said to have been killed near the river by a boar sent by Ares, the god of war (or by Ares himself disguised as a boar, depending on the version). According to the myth, Adonis' blood flowed in the river, making the water reddish for centuries and spawning a carpet of scarlet buttercups along the river's banks. In reality, the river flows red each February due to the volume of soil washed off the mountains by heavy winter rains, making it appear that the water is filled with blood. The river emerges from a huge cavern, the Aqsa Grotto, nearly 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above sea level before it drops steeply through a series of falls and passes through a sheer gorge through the mountains.The river valley contains the remains of numerous temples and shrines. Even today, local people hang out clothes of sick people at a ruined temple near the river's source in the hopes of effecting cures.
SH15299. Gold stater, Price 3423, Müller Alexander 1374, F, weight 8.473 g, maximum diameter 17.9 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Byblos (Jbail, Lebanon) mint, c. 330 - 320 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right wearing crested Corinthian helmet; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOY, Nike standing left holding wreath in right and stylus with left, (AP monogram) left field; ex Coin Galleries 20 Nov 1975, ex Coloseum Coin Exchange; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 93 - 92 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |93| |-| |92| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
GS110595. Silver shekel, Rouvier 6 2020 var. (A right), Cohen DCA 919-34 (U), HGC 10 357, BMC Phoenicia -, Baramki AUB -, SNG Cop -, VF, toned, tight flan, slightest porosity, flan flaw at temple, weight 14.064 g, maximum diameter 28.2 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 93 - 92 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΔΛ (year 34) over club with handle up and palm frond left, Δ (control) upper right, Phoenician letter bet (control) between legs; from the CEB Collection; very rare year; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
The K behind the ear appears on a few tetradrachms from Tyre and Sidon. This type is also known without a letter behind the ear and with a Δ behind the ear.
SH32904. Silver tetradrachm, Lorber CPE 505c, Svoronos 715, SNG Cop 506; SNG Milan 141, BMC Ptolemies p. 27, 32, Hosking 98, Malter -, Hosking -, EF, nice high-relief portrait, weight 14.226 g, maximum diameter 25.1 mm, die axis 0o, Sidon (Saida, Lebanon) mint, probably 274 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis, signature K behind ear; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on fulmen (thunderbolt), head left, wings slightly open, ΣI left; very rare; SOLD


Arados, Phoenicia, Unknown King "N", c. 348 - 338 B.C.

|Phoenicia|, |Arados,| |Phoenicia,| |Unknown| |King| |"N",| |c.| |348| |-| |338| |B.C.||stater|
Early coins of Arados have the Aramaic letters mem aleph (read from right to left) above the galley, abbreviating Melech Arad (meaning King of Arados), sometimes followed by the king's initial, and sometimes by the Phoenician regnal year date.
SH85437. Silver stater, BMC Phoenicia p. 10, 58; Betlyon 26, note 104, pl. 7, 4; Rouvier III p. 131, 5; HGC 10 33 (R1); Sunrise 114; SNG Cop -, VF, well centered on a tight flan, struck with high relief dies, test cut on obverse, weight 10.346 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 270o, Arados (Arwad, Syria) mint, c. 348 - 338 B.C.; obverse laureate head of bearded Ba'al Arwad right, with profile eye; reverse galley right, figure of Pataikos right on prow, row of shields on bulwark, Phoenician letters mem aleph nun (Melech Arad N - King of Arados N) from right to left above, three waves below; rare; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy VI Philometor, 180 - 145 B.C., Arados, Phoenicia

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |VI| |Philometor,| |180| |-| |145| |B.C.,| |Arados,| |Phoenicia||tetradrachm|
Ancient Arados, surrounded by massive walls on an island about 800 m long by 500 m wide, about 50 km north of Tripolis, was an important trading city with an artificial harbor on the east side toward the mainland. A walled island provides great security, but the lack of water on Arados was a serious challenge. Strabo recounts that Phoenicians collected rainwater and channeled it into cisterns, and that they shipped containers of fresh water from the mainland. Perhaps the most resourceful solution came from the fortuitous discovery—probably by sponge and coral divers—of an undersea freshwater spring, not far from the island in the channel between Arwad and the mainland. This spring, says Strabo, was exploited as a last resort when war or other crises interrupted water supplies from the mainland: "...into this spring the people let down from the water-fetching boat an inverted, wide-mouthed funnel made of lead, the upper part of which contracts into a stem with a moderate-sized hole through it; and round this stem they fasten a leathern tube (unless I should call it bellows), which receives the water that is forced up from the spring through the funnel. Now the first water that is forced up is sea-water, but the boatmen wait for the flow of pure and potable water and catch all that is needed in vessels prepared for the purpose and carry it to the city."Arados
SH24844. Silver tetradrachm, Svoronos 1207; Mørkholm NNA 167 - 170; SNG Cop 548; SNG Berry 1490; Cohen DCA 73; Noeske –; BMC Ptolemies -, Choice EF, weight 14.154 g, maximum diameter 27.8 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Arados (Arwad, Syria) mint, 169 - 168 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis tied around neck; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, eagle standing left on fulmen (thunderbolt), head left, wings closed, (year 91?) left; SOLD


Jerusalem or Tyre, 18 - 19 A.D., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Jerusalem| |or| |Tyre,| |18| |-| |19| |A.D.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH79731. Silver shekel, RPC I 4657; BMC Phoenicia p. 248, 199 var. (controls); Cohen DCA 922; HGC 10 357; Baramki AUB -, VF, toned, marks and scratches, die damage or flan defect obverse top right, weight 13.647 g, maximum diameter 24.2 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 18 - 19 A.D.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, Phoenician letter aleph between legs, PMΔ (year 144) and club left, KP over monogram right; SOLD


Jerusalem or Tyre, 13 - 12 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Jerusalem| |or| |Tyre,| |13| |-| |12| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

After the coinage of Tyre was debased under Roman control, some experts believe Herod the Great began to strike "Tyre" shekels in Jerusalem. These coins were of cruder fabric and style, but maintained the silver purity required to pay the temple tax. The Jerusalem shekels have the letters KP or KAP to the right of the eagle and dates range from PH (18/17 B.C.) to PE (69/70 A.D.). The Greek letters KP or KAP are probably an abbreviation for KAICAP, Greek for Caesar.
SL89608. Silver shekel, RPC I 4644; HGC 10 357; DCA Tyre 420; Cohen DCA 920; BMC Phoenicia p. 237, 189 var. (monogram); Baramki AUB -, NGC AU, strike 5/5, surface 1/5, scratches, smoothing (4282169-005), weight 13.59 g, maximum diameter 25.0 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 13 - 12 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date PIΔ (year 114) over club and palm frond left, KP over monogram right, Phoenician letter beth between legs; ex CNG e-auction 438, lot 231; NGC| Lookup; SOLD


Shekel of Tyre, KP Type, 34 - 35 A.D., Temple Tax for Two

|Phoenicia|, |Shekel| |of| |Tyre,| |KP| |Type,| |34| |-| |35| |A.D.,| |Temple| |Tax| |for| |Two
||shekel|
Full Shekel - Tax for Two. At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were the only coins accepted by the temple. Some experts believe that after the coinage of Tyre was debased under Roman control, Herod the Great began to strike "Tyre" shekels in Jerusalem. These coins were of cruder fabric and style, but maintained the silver purity required to pay the temple tax. The "Jerusalem" shekels have the letters KP or KAP to the right of the eagle and dates range from PH (18/17 B.C.) to PE (69/70 A.D.). The Greek letters KP or KAP are probably an abbreviation for KAICAP, Greek for Caesar.
SL86642. Silver shekel, RPC I 4670 (2 spec.); Prieur 1431 (2 spec.); Cohen DCA 920-170 (C); BMC Phoenicia -; Baramki AUB -; Rouvier -, NGC AU, strike 4/5, surface 3/5 (4241491-015), weight 13.53 g, maximum diameter 24.0 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 44 - 45 A.D.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle left, right foot on war galley ram, palm frond under right wing, date PO (year 170) over club left, KP (KAIΣAP?) over monogram (control) right, Phoenician letter beth (control) between legs; NGC| Lookup; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, 51 - 30 B.C., Orthosias, Phoenicia

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Cleopatra| |VII| |Thea| |Philopator,| |51| |-| |30| |B.C.,| |Orthosias,| |Phoenicia||AE| |23|
This is an extremely rare issue known only from a few specimens.
SH03585. Bronze AE 23, RPC I 4502, SNG Cop 176, aF, weight 6.68 g, maximum diameter 22.5 mm, Orthosias (Bordj Hakmon al-Yahoudi, Lebanon) mint, 35 - 34 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Cleopatra right, star behind; reverse Baal of Orthosia in chariot pulled by to griffins to right, LΓ (Phoenician regnal year 3) in left field, OPΘΩCIΕΩN in exergue; extremely rare; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 94 - 93 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |94| |-| |93| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH38447. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 241, 124; HGC 10 357; Baramki AUB -, aEF, weight 14.380 g, maximum diameter 29.1 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 94 - 93 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΓΛ (year 33) over club left, HAP monogram right, Aramaic beth between legs; SOLD


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Tyre, Phoenicia

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.,| |Tyre,| |Phoenicia||tetradrachm|
SH09037. Silver tetradrachm, Prieur 1478, Choice EF, a touch flat on high points, very nice metal, weight 14.69 g, maximum diameter 27.2 mm, die axis 180o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 103 - 109 A.D.; obverse AVTOKP KAIC NEP - TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM, laureate head right, eagle below, club in front, palm-branch behind; reverse ΔHMAPX - EΞ YΠAT B (holder of Tribunitian power, consul for the 2nd time), laureate bust of Melqart draped in lion-skin; rare; SOLD


Seleukid Kingdom, Cleopatra and Antiochus VIII Grypus, 125 - 121 B.C.

|Seleucid| |Kingdom|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Cleopatra| |and| |Antiochus| |VIII| |Grypus,| |125| |-| |121| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Antiochus VIII Epiphanes Grypus (Hook-Nose) was crowned as a teenager, ruling jointly with his mother Cleopatra Thea. In 121 B.C., one day when he returned from a hunt, his mother offered him a cup of wine. Since this was not common behavior for her, Grypus was suspicious and forced her to drink the wine; poisoned, it killed her. Grypus fought a civil war with his brother that ended with his murder.
GS42572. Silver tetradrachm, Houghton-Lorber I 2271(1), SGCV II 7137, gVF, fine style, weight 15.763 g, maximum diameter 30.2 mm, die axis 0o, Galilee, Ake Ptolemais (Acre, Israel) mint, 125 - 121 B.C.; obverse jugate busts right of Cleopatra Thea, diademed, veiled and wearing stephane, and Antiochos, diademed, fillet border; reverse BAΣIΛIΣΣHΣ / KΛEOΠATPAΣ / ΘEAΣ, KAI / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIOXOY, Zeus enthroned left, nude to waist, himation around hips and legs, Nike in right hand, long scepter in left hand, v/Σ monogram outer left; ex CNG auction 223, lot 245; very scarce; SOLD


Persian Empire, Sidon, Phoenicia, King Ba'lshallim II, c. 401 - 366 B.C.

|Phoenicia|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Sidon,| |Phoenicia,| |King| |Ba'lshallim| |II,| |c.| |401| |-| |366| |B.C.||double| |shekel|
Sidon, named for the "first-born" of Canaan, the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:15, 19), is frequently referred to by the prophets (Isaiah 23:2, 4, 12; Jeremiah 25:22; 27:3; 47:4; Ezekiel 27:8; 28:21, 22; 32:30; Joel 3:4). The Sidonians long oppressed Israel (Judges 10:12) but Solomon entered into a matrimonial alliance with them, and thus their form of idolatrous worship found a place in the land of Israel (1 Kings 11:1, 33). Jesus visited the "coasts" of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24) where many came to hear him preach (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17). After leaving Caesarea, Paul's ship put in at Sidon, before finally sailing for Rome (Acts 27:3, 4).
SH96814. Silver double shekel, Elayi-Elayi Sidon 627 (D36/R48); Betlyon p. 9, 18 & pl. 2, 4; BMC Phoenicia p. 143, 17; Sunrise Collection 125; HGC 10 236 (C), gF, oval flan, porosity, obverse off center, weight 28.155 g, maximum diameter 31.5 mm, die axis 45o, Sidon (Saida, Lebanon) mint, c. 401 - 366 B.C.; obverse war galley rowing left, small figure figurehead in bow (off flan), row of round shields along bulwarks, standard and rudder at stern, Phoenician letter beth above, two lines of zig-zag waves below, cable border; reverse Emperor of Persia with charioteer in a biga left, bearded king wears kidaris and kandys and raises right hand, charioteer leans forward holding reins, horses waking, king of Sidon walks behind in Egyptian crown and garb carrying a cultic scepter and votive vase, double exergue line, cable border, all in shallow round incuse; from the CEB Collection; ex Superior Stamp and Coin (Beverly Hills, CA, 1990's); scarce; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy III Euergetes, 246 - 222 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |III| |Euergetes,| |246| |-| |222| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Ptolemy III Euergetes was the third ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. He promoted the translation of Jewish scriptures into Greek as the Septuagint. Due to a falling out at the Seleucid court, his eldest sister Berenice Phernophorus was murdered along with her infant son. In response, he invaded Syria, occupied Antioch, and even reached Babylon. This war, the Third Syrian War, is cryptically alluded to in Daniel XI 7-9. The Ptolemaic kingdom reached the height of its power during his reign.
SH26926. Silver tetradrachm, Svoronos 1001, SNG Cop 167, gVF, weight 14.144 g, maximum diameter 26.0 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenician mint, obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, cornucopia left; nice style, high relief dies; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 69 - 68 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |69| |-| |68| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH71896. Silver shekel, Cohen DCA 919/58 (R3), HGC 10 357, Hendin 6650, Rouvier -, BMC Phoenicia -, SNG Cop -, Baramki AUB -, aEF, area of weak strike, weight 14.358 g, maximum diameter 28.5 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 69 - 68 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, right foot on war galley ram, wings closed, palm frond under right (far) wing, date ΗN (year 58) over club left, ΦΛ monogram right, Aramaic beth between legs; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 204 - 180 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |V| |Epiphanes,| |204| |-| |180| |B.C.||hemidrachm|
Svoronos attributed this type to Ptolemais due to the monogram, but symbols between the eagle's legs are usually control marks, not mint marks, and the club in the left field is typical of Tyre. We believe this rare type was the last struck under Ptolemy V at Tyre, before the Seleucids under Antiochus III invaded Phoenicia and took the city in 198 B.C.
GP94517. Bronze hemidrachm, Svoronos 1058 (2 spec., Ptolemy III, Ptolemais mint), Malter 144 (same), Weiser -, Noeske -, SNG Cop -, SNG Milan -, aVF, attractive depiction of Zeus, well centered, some flatness of strike, light marks, small edge cracks, beveled obverse edge, central depressions, weight 35.503 g, maximum diameter 36.5 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 204 - 198 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (King Ptolemy), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, filleted cornucopia on shoulder, club left, ΠTo monogram between legs; from The Ray Nouri Collection, Coin Archives records only two sales of this type in the past two decades, all known specimens apparently share the same obverse die; very rare; SOLD


Seleukid Kingdom, Alexander I Balas, 152-145 B.C.

|Seleucid| |Kingdom|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Alexander| |I| |Balas,| |152-145| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Alexander Balas, of humble origin, claimed to be Antiochus IV's son and heir to the Seleukid throne. Rome and Egypt accepted his claims. He married Cleopatra Thea, daughter of King Ptolemy Philometor of Egypt. With his father-in-law's help, he defeated Demetrius Soter and became the Seleukid king. After he abandoned himself to debauchery, his father-in-law shifted his support to Demetrius II, the son of Demetrius Soter. Balas was defeated and fled to Nabataea where he was murdered.
SH82665. Silver tetradrachm, Sawaya 34 (D12/R2), SNG Spaer 1507 (same dies), Houghton-Lorber 1824.3, HGC 9 881, Rouvier -, EF, excellent portrait, nicely toned, die break on the obverse, minor bumps and marks, weight 14.169 g, maximum diameter 27.7 mm, die axis 0o, Laodikeia in Phoenicia (Berytos) mint, 29 Aug 149 - 28 Aug 148 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔPOY, eagle standing left on palm frond, ΔΞP (year 164) over monogram on left, trident with head up on right; ex Auctiones GmbH e-auction 52, lot 36; ex D.A.K. Collection; ex Triton XIX (4 Jan 2016), lot 291 ($1000 plus fees); SOLD


Jerusalem or Tyre, 12 - 11 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Jerusalem| |or| |Tyre,| |12| |-| |11| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." - Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

After the coinage of Tyre was debased under Roman control, some experts believe Herod the Great began to strike "Tyre" shekels in Jerusalem. These coins were of cruder fabric and style, but maintained the silver purity required to pay the temple tax. The Jerusalem shekels have the letters KP or KAP to the right of the eagle and dates range from PH (18/17 B.C.) to PE (69/70 A.D.). The Greek letters KP or KAP are probably an abbreviation for KAICAP, Greek for Caesar.
SH91534. Silver shekel, RPC I 4645; BMC Phoenicia p. 248, 192 var. (beth vice aleph); Baramki 79 var. (same); Rouvier 2088 var. (same); Cohen DCA 920/115; HGC 10 357, VF, dark old collection patina, cleaning scratches, a few spots of mild corrosion, flan crack, weight 13.712 g, maximum diameter 26.1 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 12 - 11 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle left, right foot on war galley ram, transverse palm frond on far side, PIE (year 115) over club left, KP (Caesar) over BN (control) right, Phoenician letter aleph (control) between legs; from the Maxwell Hunt Collection; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 99 - 98 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |99| |-| |98| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH28054. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia, p. 241, 126 - 127 var. (right monogram); Baramki AUB p. 227, 48 var. (same); HGC 10 357, EF, weight 13.742 g, maximum diameter 28.2 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 92 - 91 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΕΛ (year 35) over club with handle up and palm frond left, MY monogram (control) upper right, Phoenician letter bet (control) between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 107 - 106 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |107| |-| |106| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH62323. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 246, 176; Prieur 1374; RPC I 4628; SNG Cop 328 var. (controls); Baramki AUB -, VF, weight 13.713 g, maximum diameter 28.2 mm, die axis 45o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 38 - 37 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΠΘ (year 89) over club left, o/ΔI monogram right, Aramaic letter beth between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 107 - 106 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |107| |-| |106| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH20434. Silver shekel, Cohen DCA 919 (year 88, R2), Rouvier 2067, RPC I 4627 corr., Baramki AUB 77 var. (controls), HGC 10 357, BMC Phoenicia -, gVF, attractive and nicely toned, reverse double-struck, weight 14.184 g, maximum diameter 28.3 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 39 - 38 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΠH (year 88) over club left, ZN (control) right, Aramaic letter (control) between legs; rare year; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 107 - 106 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |107| |-| |106| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH67486. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 238, 94; Baramki AUB 35; Cohen DCA 919-20 (C); HGC 10 357, VF, weight 14.070 g, maximum diameter 27.1 mm, die axis 45o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 107 - 106 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date LK (year 20) over club left, HAP monogram right, Phoenician letter beth between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 39 - 38 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |39| |-| |38| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver."- Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter." - Matthew 17:24-27
SH91531. Silver shekel, RPC I 4627, Cohen DCA 919/88 (R2), Baramki 77, Rouvier 2067, HGC 10 357, BMC Phoenicia -, VF/aEF, old collection toning, nice style, obverse cleaning scratches, small edge split, weight 14.148 g, maximum diameter 29.1 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 39 - 38 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle left, right foot on war galley ram, transverse palm frond on far side, ΠH (year 88) over club left, BN (control) right, Phoenician letter beth (control) between legs; from the Maxwell Hunt Collection; rare year; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 99 - 98 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |99| |-| |98| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH20281. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia, p. 241, 126 - 127; Baramki AUB p. 227, 48 var. (right control); HGC 10 357, gVF, toned, weight 14.339 g, maximum diameter 28.5 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 92 - 91 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΕΛ (year 35) over club and palm frond left, Δ right, Phoenician kaph between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 107 - 106 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |107| |-| |106| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH53309. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 240, 107; Baramki AUB p. 225, 38; HGC 10 357, gVF, weight 14.255 g, maximum diameter 28.9 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 103 - 102 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, ΔK (year 24) over club and palm frond left, HAP monogram (control right, Phoenician letter nun (control) between legs; heavy flow lines on the obverse, well centered; SOLD


Seleukid Kingdom, Antiochus VII Euergetes Sidetes, 138 - 129 B.C., Tyre, Phoenicia

|Seleucid| |Kingdom|, |Seleukid| |Kingdom,| |Antiochus| |VII| |Euergetes| |Sidetes,| |138| |-| |129| |B.C.,| |Tyre,| |Phoenicia||tetradrachm|
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.
SH75179. Silver tetradrachm, Houghton-Lorber II 2109(3), SNG Spaer 2008, Cohen DCA 198, HGC 9 1074, SNG Cop -, BMC Seleucid -, Choice gVF, attractive style, light toning, light marks, weight 14.169 g, maximum diameter 28.9 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 138 - 137 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Antiochos VII right; reverse ANTIOXOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left on prow, palm branch behind, A/PE above (Tyre monogram) over club left, AvΣ monogram over EOP (year 175) right, AYM monogram between eagle's legs; SOLD


Shekel of Tyre, KP Type, 38 - 39 A.D., Temple Tax for Two

|Judaea| |&| |Palestine|, |Shekel| |of| |Tyre,| |KP| |Type,| |38| |-| |39| |A.D.,| |Temple| |Tax| |for| |Two||shekel|
Full Shekel - Tax for Two. At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were the only coins accepted by the temple. Some experts believe that after the coinage of Tyre was debased under Roman control, Herod the Great began to strike "Tyre" shekels in Jerusalem. These coins were of cruder fabric and style, but maintained the silver purity required to pay the temple tax. The "Jerusalem" shekels have the letters KP or KAP to the right of the eagle and dates range from PH (18/17 B.C.) to PE (69/70 A.D.). The Greek letters KP or KAP are probably an abbreviation for KAICAP, Greek for Caesar.
SL86644. Silver shekel, Baramki AUB 88; Cohen DCA 920-164 (S); RPC I 4668 (2 spec.); Prieur 1428 (4 spec.); Rouvier 2111; BMC Phoenicia -, NGC XF, strike 3/5, surface 3/5 (4241491-013), weight 13.84 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 38 - 39 A.D.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date PΞD (year 164) over club left, KP (KAIΣAP?) over monogram right, Phoenician letter beth (control) between legs; NGC| Lookup; scarce; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 107 - 106 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |107| |-| |106| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH16905. Silver shekel, Baramki AUB p. 224, 33; BMC Phoenicia p. 238, 94 var. (monogram on right); HGC 10 357, gVF, weight 14.115 g, maximum diameter 28.5 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 107 - 106 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date LK (year 20) over club left, M (control) right, Phoenician letter nun (control) between legs; SOLD


Alexander the Great, Arados, Phoenicia, c. 328 - c. 320 B.C.

|Alexander| |the| |Great|, |Alexander| |the| |Great,| |Arados,| |Phoenicia,| |c.| |328| |-| |c.| |320| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Ancient Arados, surrounded by massive walls on an island about 800 m long by 500 m wide, about 50 km north of Tripolis, was an important trading city with an artificial harbor on the east side toward the mainland. Its powerful navy and ships are mentioned in the monuments of Egypt and Assyria. The Biblical "Arvad" is noted as the forefather of the "Arvadites," a Canaanite people. Arados directly ruled some nearby cities on the mainland, such as Marat (Amrit today) nearly opposite the island, and held hegemony over the northern Phoenician cities from the mouth of the Orontes to the northern limits of Lebanon (similar to Sidon in the south). Under the Persians, Arwad was allowed to unite in a confederation with Sidon and Tyre, with a common council at Tripolis. In 332 B.C., Arados submitted to Alexander the Great without a struggle under her king Strato, who sent his navy to aid Alexander in the reduction of Tyre. The city received the favor of the Seleucid kings of Syria and enjoyed the right of asylum for political refugees. It is mentioned in a rescript from Rome about 138 B.C. in connection with other cities and rulers of the East, to show favor to the Jews. This was after Rome had begun to interfere in the affairs of Judea and Syria and indicates that Arwad was still of considerable importance at that time.Arados
SH26924. Silver tetradrachm, Price 3309, gVF, slightly grainy, toned, struck with attractive high relief dies, weight 17.130 g, maximum diameter 28.2 mm, die axis 90o, Arados (Arwad, Syria) mint, c. 328 - c. 320 B.C.; obverse head of Herakles right, wearing Nemean Lion skin, scalp over head, forepaws tied at neck; reverse Zeus Aëtophoros enthroned left, eagle in extended right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, right leg forward (archaic lifetime style), A/P monogram under throne, AΛΕΞANΔPOY downward behind, BAΣIΛΕΩΣ exergue; lifetime or very early posthumous issue; SOLD


Jerusalem or Tyre, 20 - 21 A.D., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Jerusalem| |or| |Tyre,| |20| |-| |21| |A.D.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
JD40037. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 248, 201; RPC I 4659; Prieur 1419, EF, uneven, weight 14.236 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 20 - 21 A.D.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, letter between legs, PMΣ (year 146 = 20/21 A.D.) and club left, KP and monogram right; SOLD


Levant, Egypt or Arabia, Imitative Athenian Transitional Style Tetradrachm, c. 350 - 330 B.C.

|Athens|, |Levant,| |Egypt| |or| |Arabia,| |Imitative| |Athenian| |Transitional| |Style| |Tetradrachm,| |c.| |350| |-| |330| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
This coin is from the hoard containing at least 76 Athenian-type owls, both Athenian issues and Egyptian and Levantine imitations, and two silver "dumps" cataloged and discussed by Peter G. van Alfen, in "A New Athenian "Owl" and Bullion Hoard from the Near East" in AJN 16-17 (2004-05), pp. 47-61, and pl. 6-13. The hoard is rumored to have come from the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
SH66406. Silver tetradrachm, Van Alfen New p. 58 and pl. 12, 67 (this coin), VF, test cut on reverse, weight 16.983 g, maximum diameter 24.3 mm, die axis 270o, non-Athenian Eastern mint, c. 353 - 294 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right with eye seen in true profile, wearing crested helmet ornamented with three olive leaves and floral scroll; reverse owl standing right, head facing, to right AΘE in large lettering, to left olive sprig and crescent; Van Alfen New plate coin; very rare; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy I as Satrap, 323 - 305 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |I| |as| |Satrap,| |323| |-| |305| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Found in Israel. Overstruck on an earlier Alexander, with the undertype visible on the obverse at 180 degrees at center, and piece of dotted scepter visible below A on reverse. Struck on a weight standard of c. 15.7 g, or 22 obols, at the time of the invasion of Cyprus by Demetrios Poliorketes. Most of the tetradrachms of this weight standard are probably from Salamis, the last city to fall to the Besieger. Some are overstruck on earlier attic-weight Alexanders, reduced in weight. Most have a helmet symbol, perhaps a connection to the army. A few have an aphlaston, a stern ornament, that may symbolize the Ptolemaic Navy. Rare examples have other symbols, including the bee, which may symbolize Ephesos. Other rare symbols include the cornucopia and the dolphin. The symbol on this coin is similar to those attributed to Tyre by Price, from 305 to 290 B.C. Charles Hersh gives similar dates in his article on the Demetrios Poliorketes coinage of Tyre, "Tyrus Devicta Revisted." Sidon struck a unique tetradrachm (now in the ANS collection) of this style and Attic Weight, dated year 22 = 312/1 BC. This unpublished issue, if it is from Tyre, would show brief Ptolemaic control of a portion of the city.
SH21440. Silver tetradrachm, Svoronos -, SNG Cop -, BMC -, Noeske -, Mørkholm -, SNG Delepierre -, Hunterian -, apparently unpublished, VF, weight 12.994 g, maximum diameter 28.9 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon)? mint, c. 306 - 305 B.C.; obverse head of Alexander the Great right, wearing elephant-head headdress; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOY, Athena advancing right, eagle and monogram in circle before; overstruck, toned, grainy; extremely rare; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, c. 302 - 301 B.C.

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |c.| |302| |-| |301| |B.C.||didrachm|
This era by which this type was dated is presumably that of Alexander the Great, starting with his conquest of the city in 332 B.C.
SH26477. Silver didrachm, BMC Phoenicia p. 232, 36, VF, weight 8.378 g, maximum diameter 21.4 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, c. 302 - 301 B.C.; obverse bearded Melqart riding hippocamp with curled wing to right, waves and dolphin below; reverse owl standing right, head facing, crook and flail behind, date (year 30) in right field; SOLD


Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C.

|Ptolemaic| |Egypt|, |Ptolemaic| |Kingdom| |of| |Egypt,| |Ptolemy| |II| |Philadelphos,| |285| |-| |246| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Ptolemy II requested copies of Jewish texts for the Library at Alexandria. They were translated and transcribed by seventy Jewish scholars hired for the purpose, creating the Septuagint, the oldest Greek version of the Hebrew Bible. Many of the oldest Biblical verses in the Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly those in Aramaic, correspond more closely with the Septuagint than with the Hebrew text.
GP87130. Silver tetradrachm, Lorber CPE 431, Svoronos 391, SNG Cop 526, Noeske 110, Meydancikkale 5186 - 5187, SNG Milan -, BMC -, Weiser -, Hosking -, Malter -, aVF, many bumps and marks, weight 14.133 g, maximum diameter 27.9 mm, die axis 0o, Cyprus, uncertain (9) mint, 261 - 256 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis; reverse ΠTOΛEMAIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ (Ptolemy Savior), eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head left, wings closed, AP over PAKT monogram over ΦI in left field; missing from most collections, only one auction sale recorded on Coin Archives in the last two decades; very rare; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 28 - 27 B.C., The Temple Tax Coin

|The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |28| |-| |27| |B.C.,| |The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin||half| |shekel|
Half Shekel - the currency of the Jerusalem Temple

At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied on Jews was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were not always used in everyday commerce, but were the only coins accepted by the temple. Many taxpayers required a currency exchange, so money changers set up in the Temple court. Jesus found this business and their shouting (advertising rates) offensive, so he threw over their tables.
SL99233. Silver half shekel, HGC 10 358, Cohen DCA 921 (date not reported), RPC Online I -, Rouvier -, BMC Phoenicia -, Prieur -,, NGC F, strike 4/5, surface 2/5 (4278765-004), weight 6.72 g, maximum diameter 21.7 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 38 - 37 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, ΠΘ (year 89) over club on left, BN right, Phoenician beth between legs; NGC| Lookup; very rare year; SOLD


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D., Dora, Phoenicia

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.,| |Dora,| |Phoenicia||AE| |24|
Dora, on the coast eight miles north of Caesarea, was a Canaanite city. It fell to the Philistines early in the 12th century B.C. Solomon appointed the son of Abinadab as overseer of Dor (I Kings 4:11). In the Persian period Dor was a Sidonian colony. In Hellenistic times it was a Ptolemaic seaport and royal fortress, once besieged by Antiochus VII, (1 Macc. 15. 11-14). Under the Romans, Dora was a free city. See also Josh 11:2, 17:11; and Judg 1:27.
SH09078. Bronze AE 24, RPC Online III 3916 (11 spec.); BMC Phoenicia p. 117, 33; Meshorer Dora 34, De Saulcy 4, Rouvier 770, Sofaer 30, Rosenberger II 25, aVF, beautiful green patina with attractive natural earthen highlighting, weight 12.41 g, maximum diameter 24.3 mm, die axis 0o, Dora (Tel Dor, Israel) mint, 111 - 112 A.D.; obverse AVT KAIC NEP TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM ΔAK, laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, star under chin; reverse turreted and veiled bust of the city-goddess Tyche right, ΔΩ-P (Dora) divided across field, POE (year 175) below, all within oak wreath; rare; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 94 - 93 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |94| |-| |93| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH16832. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 241, 124; HGC 10 357; Baramki AUB -, gVF, nicely centered, attractive coin, weight 14.217 g, maximum diameter 27.6 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 94 - 93 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΓΛ (year 33) over club left, HAP monogram (control) right, Aramaic beth (control) between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 94 - 93 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |94| |-| |93| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH21681. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 241, 124; HGC 10 357; Baramki AUB -, aEF, weight 14.170 g, maximum diameter 29.3 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 94 - 93 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΓΛ (year 33) over club left, HAP monogram (control) right, Aramaic beth (control) between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 87 - 86 B.C., Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver

|30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |87| |-| |86| |B.C.,| |Judas'| |30| |Pieces| |of| |Silver||shekel|
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. Shekels of Tyre were the only currency accepted at the Jerusalem Temple and are the most likely coinage with which Judas was paid for the betrayal of Christ.

The Temple Tax Coin
"..go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple tax collectors] for me and thee." Since the tax was one half shekel per man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter. Matthew 17:24-27
SH28937. Silver shekel, BMC Phoenicia, p. 242, 133 var. (control symbols); HGC 10 357; Baramki AUB -, nice VF well centered and struck on nice metal, weight 13.968 g, maximum diameter 28.3 mm, die axis 0o, 87 - 86 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date L M (year 40) over club and palm frond left, Δ (control) right, Aramaic beth (control) between legs; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 75 - 74 B.C., The Temple Tax Coin

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |75| |-| |74| |B.C.,| |The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin||half| |shekel|
Half Shekel - the currency of the Jerusalem Temple.

At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied on Jews was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were not always used in everyday commerce, but were the only coins accepted by the temple. Many taxpayers required a currency exchange, so money changers set up in the Temple court. Jesus found this business and their shouting (advertising rates) offensive, so he threw over their tables.
SH49483. Silver half shekel, possibly unpublished date for half shekel, Rouvier - (cf. 2039, shekel), BMC Phoenicia -, SNG Cop -, et al., VF, weight 6.516 g, maximum diameter 21.65 mm, die axis 45o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 75 - 74 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, BN (year 52) over club left, Z right, Aramaic letter between legs; very rare; SOLD


The Temple Tax Coin, Tyre KP Type Half Shekel, Jerusalem or Tyre Mint, 36 - 37 A.D.

|The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin|, |The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin,| |Tyre| |KP| |Type| |Half| |Shekel,| |Jerusalem| |or| |Tyre| |Mint,| |36| |-| |37| |A.D.||half| |shekel|
At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were the only coins accepted by the temple. Some experts believe that after the coinage of Tyre was debased under Roman control, Herod the Great began to strike "Tyre" shekels in Jerusalem. These coins were of cruder fabric and style, but maintained the silver purity required to pay the temple tax. The "Jerusalem" shekels have the letters KP or KAP to the right of the eagle and dates range from PH (18/17 B.C.) to PE (69/70 A.D.). The Greek letters KP or KAP are probably an abbreviation for KAICAP, Greek for Caesar.

SH94461. Silver half shekel, RPC I 4695, Prieur 1465, BMC Phoenicia -, aVF, attractive style, toned, bumps and marks, die wear, closed edge crack, weight 6.244 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 0o, Tyre or Jerusalem mint, 36 - 37 A.D.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, PΞB (year 162) over club left, KP over monogram right, Aramaic letter between legs; ex Forum (2010), ex Temple Tax Hoard; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 108 - 107 B.C., The Temple Tax Coin

|The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |108| |-| |107| |B.C.,| |The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin||shekel|
Half Shekel - the currency of the Jerusalem Temple.
At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied on Jews was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were not always used in everyday commerce, but were the only coins accepted by the temple. Many taxpayers required a currency exchange, so money changers set up in the Temple court. Jesus found this business and their shouting (advertising rates) offensive, so he threw over their tables.
JD79297. Silver shekel, Cohen DCA 921 (unreported date - no known specimens); HGC 10 358; Hendin 6651; BMC Phoenicia -; Baramki AUB -, F, toned, light corrosion, weight 6.011 g, maximum diameter 21.7 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 108 - 107 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOYIEPAΣ KAIAΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, date ΘI (year 19) over club and palm frond left, ZB (control) right, Phoenician letter beth (control) between legs; extremely rare date; SOLD


Tyre, Phoenicia, 76 - 75 B.C., The Temple Tax Coin

|Phoenicia|, |Tyre,| |Phoenicia,| |76| |-| |75| |B.C.,| |The| |Temple| |Tax| |Coin||half| |shekel|
Half Shekel - the currency of the Jerusalem Temple.

At the Great Temple in Jerusalem the annual tax levied on Jews was 1/2 shekel per male. The 1/2 shekel and shekel were not always used in everyday commerce, but were the only coins accepted by the temple. Many taxpayers required a currency exchange, so money changers set up in the Temple court. Jesus found this business and their shouting (advertising rates) offensive, so he threw over their tables.
SH54403. Silver half shekel, BMC Phoenicia p. 251, 230 var. (A right on rev); Rouvier 2036; HGC 10 358, gVF, obv. die wear, weight 6.906 g, maximum diameter 24.0 mm, die axis 0o, Phoenicia, Tyre (Lebanon) mint, 76 - 75 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Melqart right, lion's skin knotted around neck; reverse TYPOY IEPAΣ KAI AΣYΛOY (of Tyre the holy and inviolable), eagle standing left, head left, wings closed, right talon on war galley ram, palm frond transverse right behind, AN (year 51) over club left, monogram right, Phoenician letter beth between legs; rare variant; SOLD




    




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REFERENCES

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