PHOENICIA. Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. Half Shekel (Silver, 21 mm, 6.58 g, 1 h), CY 159 = 33/4. Laureate bust of Herakles-Melqart to right, with lion skin draped around shoulders. Rev. TYPOY I[EPAΣ KAI] AΣYΛOY / PNΘ - KP Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond behind; to left, club; between legs, 𐤀, to right, monogram of AN. DCA Tyre 876. RPC I 4693. Rare. A key date, issued in the year of Jesus' crucifixion. Minor roughness on the reverse, otherwise, very fine.



Due to the lack of contemporary sources, the exact year of Jesus' crucifixion has been a hotly debated topic since ancient times, with estimates ranging from the late 20th to the 30th or 33rd year AD. The most widely accepted assumption is that the events surrounding his trial and execution took place in the spring of 33 AD and thus coincided with the issuing of this half shekel, which for this reason is by far the most illustrious in the entire Tyrian series.