Nomos 22

PHILISTIA (PALESTINE). Gaza. 5th-4th centuries BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 17.49 g, 11 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing a crested Attic helmet, with a palmette and scroll on the bowl and three upright olive leaves above the visor, and a disc earring. Rev. Zayin - 'Ayin Owl standing facing with wings closed, between two olive sprays each with a berry; all within incuse square. BMC pl. XLII, 1. Boston MFA 2203. Gitler & Tal V.5T = HGC 10, 532. P. van Alfen, "Two Unpublished Hoards and Other Owls from Egypt", AJN 14, 2002, pl. 15, 9 (same dies). Svoronos pl. 110, 49. Extremely rare. Very well-struck and well-centered with the crest of Athena's helmet fully visible. A most attractive coin of great interest and importance. Just a touch of wear on the highest points, otherwise, extremely fine.

This amazing coin, one of the finest of only nine known examples, was struck at Gaza, probably during the final third of the fifth century (or slightly later), and copies the well-known types of Athens. Athenian coins circulated widely in trade throughout the Mediterranean world, though especially in the Levant. The head of Athena, with her frontal eye and Attic helmet, precisely copies the heads that appeared on the abundant Athenian tetradrachms produced in the third quarter of the 5th century, but the reverse is a surprise. Instead of the usual owl standing to right of the tetradrachms, what we have here is the facing owl found on contemporary Athenian triobols. It would certainly be interesting to know if any of those triobols have been found in the area of ancient Palestine: in any case, they must have been the model used for this coin. The letters on the reverse, reading from right to left 'Ayin Zayin (or 'Z), are the abbreviated form of the city name, Gaza, but which was typically written Aza, and interestingly the letter 'Ayin has an added central pellet assimilating it to the form of the letter Θ which appears on the genuine Athenian coins of this period.