SAMARIA. Series with personal names and miscellaneous letters. Delayah (?), governor of Samaria, circa 407-380/70 BCE. Mʿh = Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.67 g, 10 h). Facing head of a winged and horned lion-griffin within square guilloche-pattern border. Rev. Winged and horned lion-griffin seated to right; in upper left field, 𐡃 or 𐡓 (D or R in Aramaic); all within square guilloche-pattern border within incuse square. CSC 93. Hendin -. Jeselsohn 48. Meshorer & Qedar 31. Shoshana -. Sofaer 124. Wyssmann p. 254, MQ 31. Nicely toned. Slightly rough, otherwise, good very fine.



The small projections between the ears and horns of the mythical creature on the obverse likely indicate wings. The image therefore probably represents a frontal view of the head of the winged, horned lion-griffin depicted in profile as a full figure on the reverse – a charming iconographic conceit by the Samarian engraver.