TYRE AR HALF SHEKEL, "TEMPLE TAX" COIN
Hendin 66531, Very Fine, rough, 19.1mm, 5.93 grams, Struck 19 B.C.E. - 68 C.E.
Obverse: Laureate head of Melqart, wearing knotted lionskin around neck
Reverse: Eagle standing left with right foot on prow of ship, palm branch over rt. shoulder, illegible date and club in field to left, surrounded by inscription "OF TYRE THE HOLY AND INVIOLABLE", KP monogram in right field
Rough and slightly underweight, still decent detail and good centering on this historic coin. The half shekel is of the later KP type. The date is illegible as the dies were recut again and again by the die cutters to be used in multiple years
The Silver Shekels of Tyre were the purest in the world at 97% - 99% silver and were thus the only coins accepted for the payment of the Temple Tax in Jerusalem.
