PHILISTIA. Central Mint. Philistian-styled, circa 420-350 BCE. Rbʾ Šql = Drachm (Silver, 14 mm, 3.06 g, 12 h). Lion attacking stag to right (?). Rev. Male head right, wearing a headdress in the form of a lion springing right, its head turned back left toward an uncertain symbol; all within guillloche-pattern border within incuse square. Gitler & Tal XIX.22Da = Gitler, Johananoff and Tal, Overstrikes, Fig. 4, XIX.22Da (this coin). Hendin -. Jeselsohn -. Shoshana -. Sofaer -. Unique and with enigmatic iconography. Rough surfaces and with two small test cuts on the reverse, otherwise, good fine.



Interpreting the layered iconography of this unique piece is difficult. The obverse probably shows an animal standing right, perhaps a stag attacked from above by a lion, as found in similar form on Jeselsohn 321. Representations of this kind occur especially on coins from Kition and on issues struck under the satrap Mazaios at Tarsos.

The reverse shows a bearded male head facing right, wearing a lion-shaped headdress: the lion springs right, with its head turned back to the left. In front of the lion’s head is an unusual leaf-shaped symbol with a stem and what may be an eye. Gitler and Tal suggest a calf’s head, but this identification remains uncertain. Unfortunately, the details are difficult to discern because of corrosion and horn silver deposits, so that misinterpretations remain possible.

The description of the reverse border as 'dotted' should be corrected: it is in fact rendered as a guilloche-pattern border. Furthermore, only one foreleg of the lion is shown; the supposed left foreleg indicated by Gitler and Tal in their drawing is most likely merely an accretion of horn silver.

Iconographically, the lion-shaped headdress clearly links this piece to Gitler & Tal XXIX.20, as well as to lots 67-70 and 91 above: in each case, the human head or heads are crowned by leonine figures, a striking and highly unusual motif within the Philistian issues.