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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;John Anthony, post: 1894392, member: 42773&quot;]During the reign of Aretas IV, the Nabataeans saw fit to spell out denominations on certain bronze coins, probably to distinguish them from earlier bronzes that had served as silver substitutes. This coin arrived yesterday, and although you can find much better examples of these common types, this one appealed to me because, on account of an off-center strike, the word&nbsp; שלם, meaning whole, is clearly visible over Shuqailat&#039;s head. (That&#039;s not her hairdo - it&#039;s the letters shin-lamedh-mem, read right to left.)</p><p><br /></p><p>These issues represent some of the first coins in history on which a denomination appears. Other, smaller coins, exhibit the words &quot;half&quot; and &quot;quarter&quot;. (I haven&#039;t collected any of these, but the day is young.)</p><p><br /></p><p>The modern Hebrew word Shalom has multiple meanings: peace, wholeness,&nbsp; prosperity, and greeting. Perhaps the Nabataean word&nbsp; שלם also had deeper meanings, but I have no proof of it.</p><p><br /></p><p><b> Nabataea: Aretas IV Philopatris, r. 9 BC - 40 AD </b></p><p>AE Unit, 18mm, 3.98g; Petra mint: AD 39/40</p><p>Obv.: Jugate busts r. of Aretas IV and Shuqailat, the king laureate, with moustache, and with hair hanging down to nape of neck; in field on r., ש, on l., ח; above their heads, inscr. שלם (= whole).</p><p>Rev.: Two cornucopiae crossed; between them, above and below, in three lines, inscr. חרתת/שקי/לת (Aretas/ Shuqai/lat).</p><p>Reference: Meshorer 112</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]323130[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I have a few more newps of Aretas IV which I&#039;ll post in this thread later.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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