UNCERTAIN LEVANTINE REGION, circa 4th-3rd century BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.55 g, 11 h). Laureate head of Apollo (?) to left. Rev. Thunderbolt with star above; below, A. Apparently unpublished. Minor roughness, otherwise, very fine.


The origin of this handsome obol remains a mystery. The youthful male head in a laurel wreath likely represents Apollo, while the celestial symbols on the reverse - a star and a bundle of thunderbolts - suggest a connection to Helios and Zeus. Yet Apollo also carries solar associations, so the star (or sun) may equally allude to him. In any event, the types are too generic to assist in identifying the mint, and the single letter A offers no further clue.