Shekel Of Tyre (Year 162, Kp Mint)

Thank you echizento, I was looking for this coin for over a year (at the right price).

No, I realize mine isn't a Shekel of Tyre. A bit early for that, but the reverse designs are similar. Feel free to enlighten us with the difference though.

Large silvers from the mint at Tyre were identified as Hellenistic Greek tetradrachms whether produced under the Ptolemies or the Seleucids. However, with the decline of Demetrius II, who died 125BC, Tyre became autonomous. Its mint continued production of high grade silver coins (94%), in full and half denominations, dated by the civic year starting at "1" with the year autonomy commenced (apparently half way through the second year of Demetrius II (127/6). The OP coin in this thread is dated to year 162, which corresponds to year 43 AD.

Because of the quality of the silver in their tetradrachms, merchants and the priesthood in Jerusalem, which did not have the resources or autonomy for production of its own silver coins, were particularly attracted to the silver of Tyre, and adopted their tetradrachm for its preferred shekel for Temple transactions. The Tyrian didrachm was the only form of half shekel coin acceptable for payment of the half shekel temple tax. Coins specially minted for Jerusalem carry the "KP" monogram in the upper field just right of the eagle. It is by virtue of the connection to Jerusalem that these Tyrian tetradrachmae (as the Greeks still called them) came to be called Shekels of Tyre.

If the weight of the OP coin is in the range of 13 gm or more it is certainly a shekel. The half shekel weighs 6.5-7.2 gm or so. The reduced flan size on this coin makes me wonder if it might actually be a Jerusalem half shekel. More of the smaller unit have survived from the later range of production of the type, when this coin was struck. This is why I recommend that if you seriously intend to resubmit the coin, you would do well to crack it out before submitting and get an accurate weight on this coin and a direct measurement of its diameter. While you have it in its "raw" state, let me suggest that you also get photographs of it with a variety of angles of lighting on both sides. This will give you a good record that will be hard to do once it is encapsulated. At the very least, ask NGC to record weight and size of the coin.

Finally, if the weight of this coin is not in either of the proper ranges for the shekel or its half, then in view of the crack and the missing weight info you may need to question the originality of the slab. My hope is that this coin is in fact a shekel on a thick "dumpy" flan.

PCGS # 134327204 comes back to a Shekel dated 126 BC-55 AD, and graded genuine 89 BU.

That sounds like a workable procedure, and I am relieved to hear that your coin's weight is in range for a full shekel. Your plan to resubmit is a good one, especially in view of the corner, and I am sure that will all turn out well. Please do post images when the coin is "between" slabs.

Congratulations on getting a nice piece and at a good price!

What an outstanding piece of work that is. Thank you for the link to the PDF, Ron. This one is worth holding on to.

Is this publication series something that is routinely sent to you?

[Ah, just noticed it came from Moneta-L. I should check my digest from them.]

Thank you Irbguy, will post the pictures of the "raw" coin soon.

echizento: thank you for the link, very interesting information about Tyre Shekels.

Thank you spence!
The coin came with the broken corner already, probably the wife of the previous owner discovered the cost of the coin :-) My wife was just happy about my purchase, she got nice credit line from the family budget (I did not include it in the price of the coin)

If a problem can be solved by money, it's not a problem, it's an expense