Contibuted by:

Danny Syon
Israel Antiquities Authority
P.O.Box 1094
Akko 24110, ISRAEL


 Danny Syon wrote:

 In a recent excavation in northern Israel an exquisite coin of the
Koinon of Bythinia surfaced.
 
  Obv. SABEINE SEBASTE (in Greek of course, with square Sigmas) Bust of
Sabina r. Rev. KOI-NON / BEITHYNIAC (lunar Sigma) Octastyle temple with a
sacrificing scene in the pediment and dot in center.

  33 mm., 26.19 g, axis 6 o'clock.
 
  The type is known, e.g. BMC Pontus and Bythinia, pp. 105-108. The
difference is that Sabina is here portrayed not in her more common high 
(and to me not very appealing...) hairdo, but with a short plait on her
neck, and with a wreath of corn ears.

  This portrait is rare, but known from Rome, and appears on e.g. BMCRE
III, p.538, No.1889.  I have not been able to locate another example
of my coin in the major references, but then it may lurk in one of the
auction catalogs, to which I have little access.

  Did anyone out there see a coin like mine, or do I have a new variant?