Lot 3274

Description

Phoenicia-Samaria, local Athenian imitations (c.375-346 B.C.), silver hemi obol, (0.288 grams), probably struck at Gaza, obv. head of Athena to right, rev. owl standing to right, head facing, to right downwards A **Q* [E] , (cf.S.2530, SNG ANS (Palestine) 20, cf.Samaria Hoard No. 307ff.). Somewhat porous surface, nearly fine/fine, very scarce.

Ex William B. Porter Collection with his ticket. The inclusion of similar 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.