Lot 2012

Description

Phoenicia-Samaria, local Athenian imitations (c.375-346 B.C.), silver obol, (0.81 grams), probably struck at Gaza, obv. head of Athena to r., rev. owl standing to r., head facing, ro r. downwards A Q E, (cf.S.2530, SNG ANS (Palestine) 20, Samaria Hoard No. 273 (This Coin described and illustrated, (p.79, Pl.47). Off centre on obverse and less so on the reverse, otherwise extremely fine with very sharp ethnic.

Ex. Samaria Hoard (273) and Sotheby, Zurich Sale Oct. 27-8, 1993 (lot 998 part) and with hoard ticket. $$ The inclusion of these Athenain imitations in the Samaria hoard, establishes the existence of a local mint (maybe Gaza, 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.