Cypriot 4 silver coins from Kition,: Classical I (480-425)

a) Baalmilk I ( reigned after 480 - 449 BC), Silver 1/3 Siglos, 3.43g

Herakles advancing right, wielding club and holding bow. Reverse: roaring lion seated right, Phoenician script (almost illegible)in retrograde above . 𐡋𐡁𐤏𐡋 / 𐡌𐡋𐡊 ['lb'l / mlk'], in dotted square within incus square (cf. BMC 7, pl.2, 12), some deposit, fine, reverse good fine. Rare.

Kition (now Larnaka) was a Phoenician colony of Tyre. Baalmilk I was the first king of Kition of known name to strike coins, though they are quite rare. Phoenician script has no vowels and was written right to left.

b) Ozibaal (reigned c.449-425 BC), Silver Siglos, 10.34g,

Herakles advancing right, wielding club and holding bow. Reverse: lion attacking stag right, Phoenician script in retrograde above, 𐤋𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤏𐤋 (L'ZB'L ) in dotted square within incuse square (cf. BMC 10ff), fine, reverse about very fine.

Ozibaal, (previously transliterated as Azbaal) son of Baalmilk I , conquered Idalion between 470 -450 BC. His son, Baalmilk II also ruled both kingdoms and struck many coins.

c) Ozibaal (reigned c.449-425 BC), Silver Siglos 11.02g, Herakles advancing right, wielding club and holding bow,. Reverse: lion attacking stag right, Phoenician script above 𐤋𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤏𐤋 (L'ZB'L ), in dotted square within incuse square (cf. BMC 10ff), struck on a square flan, so obverse type half off flan, good metal, very fine;

d): Ozibaal (reignedc.449-425 BC), 1/3 Silver Siglos, 3.71g, Herakles advancing right, wielding club and holding bow. Reverse: lion attacking stag right, Phoenician script above 𐤋𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤏𐤋 (L'ZB'L ), in dotted square within incuse square (cf. BMC 26), good metal, fine, reverse about very fine (4)

Provenance: all Ex deceased estate of London collector who bought them in the 1960s. The large collection was placed in a bank vault in 1975. Consigned to Spinks & Sons 2012. Acquired from Spinks, London auction 23106, April 19, 2023, lot 7779.