ARABIA, Eastern. Uncertain, circa 180-140 BCE. Tetradrachm (Silver, 28 mm, 15.88 g, 1 h), imitating Alexander 'the Great' (336-323 BCE). Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. ΛΛEΞΛΛNΛ[...] Zeus/Shams seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right; to upper left, cone-shaped object; to lower left, antelope or stag standing left. CCK 144 = Huth, Al Jawf Hoards, 227 (this coin). Apparently unique and of great interest. Hammered and bent, and with some minor scratches on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.


This Arabian tetradrachm imitates Milesian Alexanders and occured in several examples in the Al-Jawf Hoard of 2002. However, this is the only known example with the cone-shaped object in the upper left reverse field, which also appears on some rare later Abi’el issues (Potts class XLIX and van Alfen 175-180). Of particular interest is also the antelope or stag in the left reverse field.