Ave!

Arabia Felix, Himyarites, Late 1st century BC – early 1st century AD.

AR quinarius; 19mm/ 1.2gm. Mint of Raidan

Con/ EF; sharp strikes from crisp dies on both sides, nicely toned.

Obv/ Beardless male head right, hair falling in ringlets, monogram behind.

Rev/ Small head r., similar to obverse. Himyarite legend above and beneath (of 'Amdan Bayyan), monogram in field to right.

Ref/ Sear GIC 5718

Seller's Note/ These cup-shaped silver coins are simply delightful; and rather scarce in such fine condition. Only one example on Wildwinds! In fact, such coins are so rarely presented that they often have slightly different attribution descriptions as seen below -

ARABIA, Southern. Qataban. Dhamar'ali Dhubyan. Late 1st century BC – early

1st century AD(?). AR Unit (15mm, 1.71 g, 9h). ?RB mint. Bare male head

left / Bearded head right; DhMR ‘LY DhBYN ŠM (king’s name in South Arabian)

above, monogram to lower left, ‘oblong symbol’ (of ‘Anbi) to right, ?RB

(mint name in South Arabian) below. Extremely rare.

Here is another -

Himyarites AR half denarius. 1.74 gr; 15.54mm. Struck under Amdan Yehuqbidh (BMC) or Amdan Baggin (SNG ANS). Raidan mint. Obv: Male head right, beardless, crowned by an penannular torque; hair in ringlets, upright crescent and trident-like WIB monogram behind head. Rev: Sabatean inscription, small male head right, forked sceptre-like symbol in right field, mint name in exergue. BMC Arabia 3: SNG ANS 1605; cf Sear 6121.

See what I'm talking about?