Lot 2020

Description

Phoenicia, Tyre, (c.2nd century B.C. - 1st century A.D.), silver shekel or tetradrachm, (13.40 grams), Jerusalem mint, A.D. 5-6, 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 trace of P**LA* ( = 131 [= A.D. 5-6], to right KP, over monogram of **FD*, Phoenician letter between legs, around **[TUROU IERAS] KAI ASUL[OU]*, (S.5918, cf.BMC 197, H.919 [307]). Scratches on the obverse and reverse, some porosity, otherwise good fine/ very good, and a rare date.

The issue is believed to be struck in Jerusalem and was copied from the Tyrian shekel because the Jewish priests wanted payment to be made in pure silver. This issue a life-time issue of Jesus Christ has the most claim to be of the type (30 pieces of silver) that Judas Iscariot received to deliver Christ to the chief priest. (Mathew 26; 14-15).