JUDAEA, Hellenistic Period (Yehud). Ptolemaic issues, circa 294-282 and 272-262/1 BCE. 1/4 Obol (Silver, 7 mm, 0.21 g, 12 h). Diademed head of Ptolemy I to right. Rev. 𐤉𐤄𐤃 (YHD in Paleo-Hebrew) Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread. Bromberg II 320. Hendin 6081. Jeselsohn 174-181 corr. (thunderbolt not mentioned). Meshorer, AJC, 16. Samel 2008. Shoshana I 20078. Sofaer 28-30. YC Type 37 corr. (O1/?, but thunderbolt not mentioned). Beautifully toned and with an excellent portrait. Slightly porous and the reverse struck somewhat off center, otherwise, good very fine.



The coin belongs to the final issues of Yehud, the former Achaemenid province whose name still appears in Paleo-Hebrew on the reverse. The types, however, are already unmistakably Ptolemaic: the portrait of Ptolemy I, founder of the dynasty, on the obverse and the Ptolemaic eagle standing on a thunderbolt on the reverse reflect the integration of Judaea into the newly established Ptolemaic kingdom.