Watch List notes:

ARABIA. Qataban. Unknown ruler(s), circa late 3rd century-150 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 12 mm, 1.96 g, 10 h), imitating Athens. Diademed male head to right. Rev. AΘE Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and monogram; to right, Royal Qatabanian monogram. HGC 10, 712 = Huth 357 var. (with inscription on diadem). Munro-Hay -. An apparently unpublished variety of an extremely rare type. Beautifully toned, nicely centered and very well preserved. Good very fine.


What makes this coin especially interesting is that it lacks the Qatabanian legend on the diadem, which in this issue normally gives the name of the denomination, and that the portrait is much more refined than usual, showing us a surprisingly individual Hellenistic ruler.