Judaea, Yehud (Judah). Hezekiah. Silver 1/2 Ma'ah Obol (0.21 g), ca. 333/2-302/1 BCE. Facing head within beaded circular border. Reverse: 'HPHH YHZQYH' (Yehezqio the governor - Hezekiah; retrograde), owl standing right, head facing. Hendin 1069; TJC 22. Nicely toned. Full legend. A wonderful specimen. Superb Extremely Fine. Estimate Value $1,500 - UP
From the S. Moussaieff Collection.
Struck to the Attic standard favored for the coinages of Alexander the Great, the abandonment of the former Persic standard has led to the conclusion that this issue postdates the Macedonian conquest of Judaea. The coins of the Macedonian period also give Hezekiah his official title as ha pecha, the governor. The reverse type depicts the Athenian owl, perhaps partly to signal the new use of the Attic weight standard, but also looking back to the traditions of the Yehud coinage of the Persian period.