PHOENICIA. Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. Shekel (Silver, 25 mm, 13.54 g, 12 h), CY 159 = AD 33/4. Laureate head of Melkart to right, lion skin tied around neck. Rev. TYPOY [IEPAΣ KAI AΣ]YΛOY Eagle standing left on prow, wings closed and with palm frond behind; to left, PNΘ above club; to right, KP above monogram; between the eagle's legs, 𐤀 (A in Punic). DCA Tyre 575 (S). HGC 10, 357. RPC I 4663. Darkly toned. Somewhat porous and with a few scratches on the obverse, 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 shekel, which for this reason is by far the most illustrious in the entire Tyrian series.