Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXII 7-8 Oct 2021
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Philistia (Palestine), Anonymous Coinage (Gaza?) AR Drachm. Imitating Athens, circa 450-400 BC. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss, and pearl necklace / Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Huth 13-14. 3.80g, 16mm, 12h.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.
Sold with export licence issued by The Israel Antiquities Authority.
Numismatists have long perpetuated a common error, in that a great many drachms of Athens are described as having an olive sprig and crescent behind the owl (merely assumed to be present perhaps on account of its appearance on the tetradrachm, or simply copied and pasted in error) though in fact the crescent is absent by design. The present example however, struck in good metal and in very faithful Athenian style, remarkably does actually have a crescent behind the owl. The drachms of Gaza all bear a crescent; this together with a likely findspot in Israel argue for the present coin being an imitative issue of Gaza.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.
Sold with export licence issued by The Israel Antiquities Authority.
Numismatists have long perpetuated a common error, in that a great many drachms of Athens are described as having an olive sprig and crescent behind the owl (merely assumed to be present perhaps on account of its appearance on the tetradrachm, or simply copied and pasted in error) though in fact the crescent is absent by design. The present example however, struck in good metal and in very faithful Athenian style, remarkably does actually have a crescent behind the owl. The drachms of Gaza all bear a crescent; this together with a likely findspot in Israel argue for the present coin being an imitative issue of Gaza.