Lot 3260

Description

Phoenicia, Tyre, (c.2nd century B.C. - 1st century A.D.), silver shekel or tetradrachm, (14.298 grams), Tyre mint, 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 **GN* ( = year 53 = 74-3 B.C.), to right **A*, Phoenician letter between legs, around **TUPOU IERAS KAI ASULOU*, (S.5918, cf.BMC 142-4 [cf.Pl.XXX,6], H. 917 [305]). Toned, broad large flan, extremely fine and rare as such.

A coin type often described as one of the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas to betray Christ.