CNG 88, Lot: 498. Estimate $300. Sold for $750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PHOENICIA, Byblos (Gebal). Uncertain king. Circa 450-410 BC. AR Twenty-Fourth Shekel (7mm, 0.47 g, 6h). Sphinx seated left / Falcon standing left, [wearing double crown of Egypt]; crook and flail in background; all within incuse square. Lemaire & Elayi Series A, Group III, 3-7; Betlyon pl. 8, 7; SNG Copenhagen -; HGC 10, -; Coin Hoards VIII, pl. IX, 7. VF, toned, light porosity. Extremely rare.

This fraction is from the earliest coinage at Byblos, which features a sphinx on the obverse and falcon on the reverse. This coinage actually comprises two series, the first with the sphinx showing a single wing, and the second with both wings spread above its body. All of the coins of these series are extremely rare. Interestingly, Betlyon illustrates an example from the first series in his plates, but the corresponding description in his catalog is of a completely different, later type (see lot 502, below). In fact, the sphinx/falcon coinage was not even recognized at the time his book was written.