Extremely Rare Judah Mint Hemidrachm

Triton XX, Lot: 384. Estimate $10000. Sold for $20000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy II Philadelphos. 285-246 BC. AR Hemidrachm (14.5mm, 1.63 g, 12h). Mint in Judah. Struck circa 261/0 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis around neck / Eagle, with spread wings, standing left on [thunderbolt]; YHDH (in Hebrew) to left. Gitler & Lorber II, Group 8, 14; Meshorer 31a; Hendin 1085; Shoshana I 20077 = NLJ 35. EF, toned, a hint of porosity, area of weak strike, slightly off center. Extremely rare, only four pieces noted by Gitler & Lorber; the Shoshana piece is the only example recently auctioned; it realized $40,000.