| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3114 | Auction date: 16 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 33170 Price realized: 3,500 USD (Approx. 3,215 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Ancients ARABIA. Eastern. Kingdom of Gerrha. Abi'el, daughter of Nasil, 3rd-2nd centuries BC. AR tetradrachm (28mm, 16.73 gm, 8h). NGC Choice XF★ 5/5 - 4/5. Imitating Alexander III of Macedon. Head Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / 'b'l brt' nšyl (Aramaic for 'Abi'el daughter of Našîl), Shams seated left on backless throne, right leg pulled back, protome of horse right on outstretched right hand, grounded scepter in left; palm tree and aleph (Aramaic) in left field. MacDonald, 'Abiel', Group A.1.1. HGC 10, 686. A truly stunning example of this extremely rare and interesting type. From the Dynasty Collection, #80. Situated amidst the rich tapestry of ancient civilizations is the Kingdom of Gerrha - a kingdom of legendary wealth and opulence that thrived on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula during the Hellenistic period. Gerrha's existence is recorded predominantly in Greek and Roman sources, making it an enigmatic player in the busy traffic of trade between the Mediterranean and the East. Identified typically as an Arabian city-state, Gerrha flourished largely due to its advantageous location, close to the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Historians believe this vantage point enabled Gerrha to become a vital nexus for long-distance trade routes, particularly the much-coveted incense trade. Descriptions of its lofty towers glinting in the sun, houses adorned with gleaming gold and silver, and a population attired in exotic textiles paint a picture of a prosperous mercantile city. The Greeks and Romans, for instance, wrote of its inhabitants' tremendous wealth, accumulated primarily by the exports of frankincense and myrrh to other parts of the ancient world. Interactions between Gerrha and the classical civilizations added to its cultural mosaic, with influences visible in their architecture and material culture. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-arabia-eastern-kingdom-of-gerrha-abi-el-daughter-of-nasil-3rd-2nd-centuries-bc-ar-tetradrachm-28mm-1/a/3114-33170.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3114-01162024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
