Baldwin & Sons
Auction 99 4 May 2016
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ANCIENT GREEK COINS, Phoenicia, Byblos, 'Ozba'al (c.400-365 BC), Silver Shekels (3), war galley to left above waves, its prow ending in the head of a roaring lion, three hoplites stand to left on the deck, wearing crested helmets and holding round shields, a hippocamp swimming to left below, a murex shell below, Phoenician letters ('Oz) in field, rev Phoenician legend ('zb'l mlk gbl = Ozbaal, King of Gebal), lion attacking a bull to left (A Meadows, 'More from the 'Phoenicia' Hoard (IGCH 1497)', NC 2006, pp.381-2, nos.2, 3, 4, pl. 72, these coins; Betlyon 14); 'Aynel (c.340 BC), Silver Shekels (2), similar types, but with reverse legend ('aynel mlk gbl) (A Meadows, NC 2006, nos.9, 11, pl. 73, these coins; Betlyon 20). Very fine or nearly so. (5)
All five of these Shekels are published by A Meadows in 'More from the 'Phoenicia' Hoard (IGCH 1497)', NC 2006, pp.381-382, pl. 72-3 (see also J and A G Elayi, 'Trésors de monnaies phéniciennes et circulation monétaire' (Paris, 1993), pp.114-115, no. xvi). They were shown to the British Museum, together with a further five examples from the same find, in February 2006. The group of ten Shekels had been acquired by Major Henry James Strang MacFarlane, while serving with the British 8th Army in the Near East during the Second World War. Meadows determined that the ten Shekels are likely to have originated from the 'Phoenicia' hoard, three examples of which were already in the British Museum's collection. The find had originally been dated to 1947, however the accompanying ticket of one of the Museum's examples indicates that it had been donated in 1946. In conjunction with the provenance of the above five examples, the find can comfortably be re-dated to 1946 or earlier.
Estimate: £1000-1500
All five of these Shekels are published by A Meadows in 'More from the 'Phoenicia' Hoard (IGCH 1497)', NC 2006, pp.381-382, pl. 72-3 (see also J and A G Elayi, 'Trésors de monnaies phéniciennes et circulation monétaire' (Paris, 1993), pp.114-115, no. xvi). They were shown to the British Museum, together with a further five examples from the same find, in February 2006. The group of ten Shekels had been acquired by Major Henry James Strang MacFarlane, while serving with the British 8th Army in the Near East during the Second World War. Meadows determined that the ten Shekels are likely to have originated from the 'Phoenicia' hoard, three examples of which were already in the British Museum's collection. The find had originally been dated to 1947, however the accompanying ticket of one of the Museum's examples indicates that it had been donated in 1946. In conjunction with the provenance of the above five examples, the find can comfortably be re-dated to 1946 or earlier.
Estimate: £1000-1500