Joel, circa 590s-after 610. Lepton (Bronze, 14 mm, 1.17 g, 5 h). ነገ-ሠ ('ngs' = 'King' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Joel to right, wearing tiara and circular earring; to upper right, cross; to right, pellet.
Rev. አ-ዐ-አ-ለ ('yoel' = 'Joel' in Ge'ez) Cross. Hahn, Aksumite, 59. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 90, b). Munro-Hay, AC, type 131. Very fine.
From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.
Joel's coinage exists in two distinct types, most clearly seen in the silver and bronze coinage, where the flans changed from compact, thick flans (which may have helped against deterioration) to broader, thin flans, and the busts from facing busts to busts in profile, an order suggested by overstrikes on bronze coins. Based on the placement of the king's name on the reverse in the angles of the cross, Hahn & Keck (MAKS, p. 137-138) suggest that this type may have been produced posthumously. The king's name is biblical, referring to the prophet Joel, whose eponymous book describes how locust plagues and droughts afflicted Israel, but that repentance in the face of God would bring deliverance. Considering the declining fortunes of Axum at this time, this name would have been particularly poignant.
