Agora Auctions, LLC
Numismatic Auction 33 26 May 2015
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Arabia Felix, Saba'. 1st centuy A.D. AR unit (15 mm, 2.69 g, 6 h). Long-haired head left above line; disc-in-crescent above (not breaking border), curved sign to left, and spear with crossbar flanking; letter below / Facing bucranium with single frond between horns; disc-in-crescent above; monogram to left, open curved sign to right. Cf. Munro-Hay 2.2ii, 2.3i. 2.3ai, and 2.3ii. gVF.
This Sabaean AR unit is most unusual in that the disc-in-crescent above the head on the obverse does not break the pelleted border. In addition to this peculiarity, our coin has a letter in the obverse exergue. Munro-Hay does note several instances of letters or monograms in this location, and the letter on our coin seems to match that on the specimen illustrated in his App. 1, pl. 3, 6.4. However, on that coin the disc-in-crescent symbol breaks the border as is the usual iconography of this type.
This Sabaean AR unit is most unusual in that the disc-in-crescent above the head on the obverse does not break the pelleted border. In addition to this peculiarity, our coin has a letter in the obverse exergue. Munro-Hay does note several instances of letters or monograms in this location, and the letter on our coin seems to match that on the specimen illustrated in his App. 1, pl. 3, 6.4. However, on that coin the disc-in-crescent symbol breaks the border as is the usual iconography of this type.