Lot 3449

Description

Phoenicia, Tyre, (c.2nd century B.C. - 1st century A.D.), silver half shekel or didrachm, (6.790 grams), Tyre mint, issued 106-5 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 AK ( = 21 = 106-5 B.C.], to right monogram **DRK*, Phoenician letter between legs, around **TUR[OU] IERA[S] KAI ASULOU*, (S.5921, BMC 218, H.918 [$700 US]). Bright, off centred on the obverse, otherwise very fine and a rare date.

The Shekels and half shekels of Tyre are of special interest to this series of Ancient Jewish and Biblical coins as Jews had to pay an annual sum to the Jerusalem Temple of one half shekel [This Coin type] and the only acceptable money were the half 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 was made in Tyre as shekels. (See Hendin pages 288-293).