Lot 3273

Description

Phoenicia-Samaria, local Athenian imitations (c.375-346 B.C.), silver obol, (0.794 grams), probably struck at Gaza, obv. head of Athena to right, rev. owl standing to right, head facing, to right downwards partial A **Q* [E], (cf.S.2530, SNG ANS (Palestine) 15, cf.Samaria Hoard No. 270ff.).Hoard patina, off centreed obverse, otherwise good fine/very fine.

Ex William B. Porter Collection. The inclusion of this type of Athenain imitations in the Samaria hoard, establishes the existance of a local mint (maybe Gaza or Ascalon [Numismatic Chronicle 1996, pps 1-9, on a hoard of 31 coins of this type found at Ascalon], or even a Samaritan mint) striking this coinage for local acceptance to supplement the distinctive local coinage of Samaria. The hoard was buried about 346-5 B.C. and thus the chronological implications indicate this issue to be prior to that date.