SYRIA. Phoenicia. Tyre. AR Shekel (14.38 gms), dated CY 51 (76/5 B.C.). NGC MS★, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 4/5. HGC-10, 357. Obverse: Laureate bust of Melkart right, with drapery tied around neck; Reverse: Eagle standing left on prow; palm frond behind; to left, AN (date) above club; A to right, Phoenician letter between legs. An incredibly dazzling and majestic specimen, this alluring Biblical type features frosty surfaces and a burnished tone accentuating the devices. The lustrous brilliance on the reverse is seemingly never encountered on a coin of this era, and should undoubtedly tantalize those who pursue this hotly contested series. Ex: Sternberg XXV (11/1991) Lot # 184.
