Lot 4649

Description

Phoenicia, Tyre, (c.2nd century B.C. - 1st century A.D.), silver shekel or tetradrachm, (13.818 grams), Tyre mint, issued year 53 = 74-73 B.C., obv. laureate head of Melqarth beardless to right, rev. eagle to left with closed wings, carrying palm, standing on prow of ship, club to left, to left L**GN* ( = 53 [= 74-73 B.C.]), to right Z, Phoenician letter between legs, around **TUROU IERAS KAI ASULOU*, (S.5918, cf.BMC 144 [p.243, variant Phoenician letter], H.917 [305]). Toned, off centred, slightly double struck on the reverse, very fine/good very fine, a rare date.

The Shekels and half shekels of Tyre are of special interest in this series of Ancient Jewish and Biblical coins as Jews had to pay an annual sum to the Jerusalem Temple one half shekel and the only acceptable money were the shekels of Tyre. They were widely available in Jerusalem and well known for their true weight and good silver. It is also believed that the 'thirty pieces of silver' paid to Judas were these Tyre shekels. (See Hendin pages 288-293).