★ Of very crude and charming style ★

ARABIA, Eastern. Oman Peninsula. Mleiha or ad-Dur (?). Later coinage in the name of Abi'el, 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. Drachm (Billon, 16 mm, 2.81 g, 9 h), imitating Alexander 'the Great' (336-323 BCE). Heavily stylized head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. Very schematic rendering of Herakles seated left, raising both arms; in field to left, 𐩱 ('a' in South Arabian); to right, remnants of Aramaic legend (?). CCK 137 = Haerink, Abiel, 2 ( this coin ). Very rare. A highly stylized coin of very crude and charming style. Somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine.

From the collection of Ambassador Martin Huth.