Lot 3403

Description

Phoenicia, Sidon, king Baalshallim II (c.386-372 B.C.), silver tetrashekel, (28.325 grams), obv. war galley travelling to left over waves, Phoenician 'B' above, rev. King of Persia in chariot with driver, Egyptian attendant or the king of Sidon behind, all within cable circle border, (S.5934 [£400], Bet 16 [ANSMN 21], BMC 19 [p.143], SNG Fitz 6046, Betylon 18 [p.9, Pl.2, 4]). Slightly off-centred on the reverse and weak in places, otherwise very fine and rare.

These tetrashekels are the largest coins struck in Phoenicia and circulated throughout the east as a trade coin. The series of coins of similar fabric was struck by several rulers up to the conquest by Alexander the Great (ie. about 435 - 332 B.C.). They are regarded as rare but several small hoards over the last decade has more than doubled the surviving numbers of this coin type.