A rare coin originating in Cyprus and dating back about 2,500 years was recently discovered on a beach in Ashdod and transferred for examination by the Israel Antiquities Authority, which discovered that it is the first coin of its kind ever found in Israel.
The coin was found by Avi Chaprak, deputy director of the Ashdod Beaches Department, who regularly helps residents and visitors locate jewelry, keys and other items lost on the beach. About a month ago, during a search intended to help find lost objects, he noticed an unusual item — an ancient coin. Chaprak acted in accordance with the law and transferred the coin to the Israel Antiquities Authority. After a professional examination, it became clear that the find was especially rare.
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Yanniv David Levy, researcher and curator in the Israel Antiquities Authority Coin Department, with the rare coin
(Photo: Shai Halevi, Israel Antiquities Authority)
The coin was minted in the city of Salamis in Cyprus around the middle of the fifth century B.C. It is a coin from the Persian period, with a value of one siglos and a weight of about 11 grams.
“At first glance it looked to be made of silver, but a closer examination showed it to actually be of metal that was only plated with silver; a known phenomenon in Cypriot silver coins from this period, given the shortage of silver on the island,” says Yanniv David Levy, researcher and curator in the Israel Antiquities Authority Coin Department.
One side of the coin depicts a reclining ram facing left. The other side shows the head of a ram facing left, surrounded by a sunken square frame that reflects the minting method. Next to it is a laurel branch placed vertically, and beneath it are three signs, apparently in the Cypriot syllabic script.
The rare coin
(Photo: Shai Halevi, Israel Antiquities Authority)
According to Levy, “coins of this size and value from the Persian period are rare altogether in the archaeological record. Usually, silver coins of this size were not preserved intact. Over time, they were cut into small pieces, for use as local trade currency. Furthermore, evidence of such use is known mainly from inland sites in Israel. Therefore, the discovery of a complete coin from the coastal area, is thus unusual on all accounts, and of special historical importance.”
Dr. Evangeline Markou, senior researcher at the Institute of Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation, and an expert in ancient Cypriot coinages, said that “salamis coins from the 5th century BCE were circulating throughout the eastern Mediterranean. However, finds with an exact provenance are rarer, and therefore this coin potentially offers significant information about trade ties and movement between Cyprus and the Land of Israel during this period.”
Levy, representing the Israeli archaeological perspective, fully agrees.: “The circumstances of the discovery and the accurate reporting allow us researchers, not only to identify the coin itself, but also to use it as a reliable source of information about economic and maritime ties that existed in this region some 2,500 years ago,” he said.
Avi Chaprak, deputy director of the Beaches Department in Ashdod with the certificate of appreciation
(Photo: Ashdod Municipality Public Relations)
Chaprak was awarded a certificate of appreciation for reporting the find and transferring the coin to the state treasures.
“I am happy that I was privileged to be part of a discovery of historical value,” he says. “For me, it was clear that the coin belonged to our collective heritage, so I immediately delivered it to the Israel Antiquities Authority. If through this act I contributed another small piece towards the research and history of the Land of Israel, then that is a great honor for me.”
Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu praised the rare discovery. “The rare coin discovered on the Ashdod coast is tangible evidence of the maritime and commercial ties that existed between the Land of Israel and Cyprus some 2,500 years ago," he said. "I commend Avi Chaprak, who acted responsibly and transferred the coin to the Israel Antiquities Authority. The public’s cooperation in reporting on antiquities makes it possible to preserve the heritage assets that belong to all of us, to deepen knowledge about the country's past, and to ensure that the finds will be preserved and studied for the benefit of future generations.”