Lot 8
Judaea, Yehud (Judah). Hezekiah. Silver 1/2 Ma'ah Obol (0.22 g), ca. 333/2-302/1 BCE. Facing head within beaded circular border. Rev. 'HPHH YHZQYH' (Yehezqio the governor - Hezekiah), owl standing right, head facing; in lower right field, Greek letter A. (cf. TJC 22 (without Greek A); cf. Hendin 1069 (same)). Outstanding. Toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,500UP
Purchased privately, December 2001.
In contrast to the earlier issue of Hezekiah in this sale, this one and its two fellows were struck to the Attic standard favored for the coinages of Alexander the Great. This abandonment of the former Persic standard has led to the conclusion that they postdate the Macedonian conquest of Judaea. The coins of the Macedonian period also give Hezekiah his official title as ha pecha, the governor. The reverse type depicts the Athenian owl, perhaps partly to signal the new use of the Attic weight standard, but also looking back to the traditions of the Yehud coinage of the Persian period.
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| Realized $2,124 |
