Watch List notes:

KYRENAICA. Kyrene (?). Circa 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. Weight of 1/2 Mina (Hemimnaion) (Lead, 66x69 mm, 284.00 g). Two silphium plants. Rev. Blank. Unpublished and unique. Some casting faults on the obverse, otherwise, very fine.


The obverse of this weight shows a schematic rendering of two silphium plants, which grew wild in the Kyrenaika and was used both for medical purposes and eaten as a vegetable. Such a weight would most likely have been produced and used in Kyrene.