PHILISTIA (PALESTINE). Gaza. 5th-4th centuries BC. Tetradrachm (silver, 23 mm, 17.64 g, 12 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing a crowned 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 an incuse square. BMC pl. XLII, 1. BMFA 2203. Gitler &; Valley V.5T = HGC 10, 532. P. van Alfen, "Two Unpublished Hoards and Other Others from Egypt", AJN 14, 2002, pl. 15, 9 (same as this). Svoronos pl. 110, 49. Extremely rare and of great interest and importance. Very fine. This coin was struck in Gaza, probably during the final third of the fifth century (or slightly later), and copies the well-known types of Athens. Athenian coins circled widely in trade through the Mediterranean world, though especially in the Levant. The head of Athena, with her frontal eye and Attic helmet, precise 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 oval standing to right of the tetradrachms, what we have here is the facing oval found on contemporary Athenian triobols. It would 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,. Interestingly enough, the letter 'Ayin has an added central pellet, thus, assimilated it to the form of the letter י which appeals on the genuine Athenian coins of this period. https://cdn.nomosag.com/auctions/95/video00287.mp4?sv=2023-01-03&ss=b&srt=co&st=2025-03-10T16%3A25%3A27Z&se=2099-03-11T16%)3A2%3A00Z&sp=rl&sig=i7RzFAqwYGMJUp3u71BbRyL3HhIAtR%2F8cUnRnTVQfyU%3D&rsct=video%2 Fmp4