This design is typical for ancient coins of the Phoenician city of Tyre. The designs probably symbolize the city pride in its great merchant fleet and stature among the nations. Hiram, King of Tyre, helped build Solomon's Temple. Its silver coins were authorized for temple use even at the time of Jesus. It was a rich city which no one could conquer. Then God pronounced the destruction of Tyre for its pride (Ezekiel 26-28). Alexander the Great was used by God to accomplish this in 332 B.C. Tyre never again was important. Only a few thousand people live there now.
This coin was minted between 332 and 275 B.C. Whereas previous coins were solid silver, this one is a bronze coin with only a veneer of silver, most of which is now gone. It is a solid testimony to the humiliating poverty of a once proud city that ignored God.
Can we in turn afford to ignore God?
Left side: rider on an animal with horse front, wings, dolphin tail. Right side: owl. Side illustrations from Sear's Greek Coins and Their Values
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