A Numismatic Masterpiece
PHOENICIA, Sidon. 107/6 BC-AD 43/4. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 13.64 g, 12h). Dated CY 11 (101/0 BC). Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche right, wearing single-pendant earring and necklace /
SIDWNIWN, eagle standing left on prow; palm frond behind; to left, LAI (date) above E. Levy 2 (this coin noted); BMC 102-3; SNG Copenhagen -. Superb EF, beautiful gray tone with slight iridescent hues around the devices. Struck from dies of the finest style; a masterpiece of numismatic art. Extremely rare, one of three known to Levy.
Ex Geissener Münzhandlung 50 (24 September 1990), lot 454.
Sidon (mod. Saida) was an important commercial center located on the coast of Phoenicia. Archaeological evidence dates the earliest remains to the Palaeolithic era. In the 10th century BC, the Phoenicians freed the city from Egyptian control and developed it into a maritime power through trade with other settlements throughout the eastern Mediterranean. During this time, it is thought that Tyre was founded by colonists from Sidon. Over the next five centuries, the city fell under Assyrian, Babylonian, and, eventually, Persian control. In the latter period, Sidon became the most important city of Phoenicia, and it was the first to develop a local coinage. These coins were struck under the local Sidonian king, and typically consisted of iconography representing the king and his overlord, the Great King of Persia, as well as a galley, the source of Sidonian wealth and power. Alexander the Great conquered the city in 333 BC, whereupon the mint was converted to produce Alexander-type coinage. After a short period of Ptolemaic control, the city passed into the hands of the Seleukids, who continued Sidonian mint production for their own royal coinage. During this period, Tyre began to overshadow Sidon in importance, and the output of their respective mints reflects this. Circa 111 BC, the Seleucids granted autonomy to both Sidon and Tyre. Tyre began issuing their new autonomous coinage immediately, whereas Sidon's did not begin until 5 years later, in 107/6 BC. The present tetradrachm belongs to this period. While contemporary tetradrachms from other cities, such as Arados and Tyre are quite plentiful today, the Sidonian Tetradrachms of this period are quite rare, reflecting the diminished importance of the city. Nevertheless, the quality of the engraving of the dies used is excellent, and these issues are among the most beautiful of numismatic art in the 1st century BC.
