Triton XV, Lot: 1303. Estimate $1000. Sold for $2000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PHILISTIA (PALESTINE), Gaza. Circa 350-333 BC. AR Obol (7mm, 0.63 g, 12h). Imitating Athens “pi-style” palmette coinage. Head of Athena right, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and a “pi-style” palmette on the bowl / Owl standing right, head facing; [olive sprig] and crescent behind, AΘ[E] to right. Cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D (drachms); cf. HGC 10, 542 (drachms). EF, attractive dark toning, very shallow test cut on owl’s head. Unpublished denomination for series.

The style of both sides of this coin is an exact match for the series of drachms in Gitler & Tal, regardless of the fact that the drachms have a Phoenician mem on the cheek of Athena. Perhaps a subsidiary mark was not necessary for this denomination, which does not exist for the official “pi-style” series at Athens?