“Crucifixion” Shekel
566. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (26mm, 14.10 g, 12h). Dated CY 159 (AD 33/4). Bust of Melkart right, wearing laurel wreath, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond over right wing; to left, r@Q (date) above club; to right, ˚r above O; Å (A in Phoenician) between legs; tUroU 5Er&% ˚&5 &%U¬oU around. Rouvier 2107 var. (monogram, Phoenician letter); RPC I 4663; HGC 10, 357; DCA 920; BMC 204 var. (same). Good VF, toned. Exceptionally clear date. ($1500)
567
568
567. PHOENICIA, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR Shekel (24mm, 12.80 g, 12h). Dated CY 172 (AD 46/7). Bust of Melkart right, wearing laurel wreath, [lion skin around neck] / Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond over right wing; to left, ro∫ (date) above club; to right, ˚r above o; Å (A in Phoenician) between legs; tUroU 5Er&[% ˚&5 &%U¬oU] around. Rouvier 2117 var. (monogram, Phoenician letter); RPC I 4672; HGC 10, 357; DCA 920; BMC 204 var. (monogram). Good VF, toned, areas of minor roughness on obverse. ($750) 568. SAMARIA. Circa 375-333 BC. AR Hemiobol (6mm, 0.23 g). Bearded Janiform head / Pile of five Athenian tetradrachms (showing reverses). Meshorer & Qedar 142; HGC 10, 428. Near EF, darkly toned. ($500) The obverse of this coin is derived from obols of Cilicia (SNG Levante 201). The reverse concept is nearly unique in ancient numismatics, with its clear representation of the reverses of five Athenian coins. The only comparable type of a ‘coin on coin’ type that we know of is the Roman Republican denarius of L. Julius Bursio with a subsidiary symbol of two Roman asses (see CNG 38, lot 793). Ronn Berrol, in “Coinage for Redeeming the Firstborn: an Ancient and Modern Jewish Ritual” The Celator, December 2002, pp.14–22, postulates a connection with the pidyon haben ceremony, wherein a Jewish family would pay five shekels to redeem a first-born son, who was to be consecrated to the priesthood.
569 570 569. SAMARIA. Circa 375-333 BC. AR Hemiobol (7mm, 0.30 g, 1h). Facing head of Bes / Lion standing facing; [A]ΘE to left, olive spray and ß (Aramaic S) on right. Meshorer & Qedar 54; HGC 10, –. EF, toned. ($500) 570. JUDAEA, Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (21mm, 14.19 g, 12h). Dated year 2 (67/8 CE). Omer cup; @c (“Y 2” in Hebrew = date) in Hebrew above, L!Rc¥ LQc (“Shekel of Israel” in Hebrew) around / Sprig of three pomegranates; YcurQY 2¥Lcur¥ (“Jerusalem the holy” in Hebrew) around. Meshorer 193; Kadman 8; Hendin 1358; Bromberg 63–4; Shoshana I 20203 (same obv. die). Good VF, lightly toned, tiny deposits on obverse. ($2000) From the Patrick H.C. Tan Collection.
161