Numismatic Auction #19

ARAB-BYZANTINE: Justin & Sophia type, late 7th century, AE follis (9.54g), Abila, undated, A-3509.3, ABQ-6var, two figures derived from Justin & Sophia, without Arabic tayyib countermark / capital M, cross above, officina A, ANNO left and uncertain XOV to right, NIKA below, pleasing Fine to VF, RRR. On the obverse no text left and mint name, which is apparently ABHΛ within lazy B, with two symbols before. This is probably a blundered symbol, rather than one or two Greek letters. This type was assigned by ABQ to Gerasa (Jerash) and to Diospolis by others (reading the first 2 symbols as ΔI), but neither of these make sense, now that several specimens are known. ABQ refers to the article on the Scythopolis and related coins that appears in the Israel Numismatic Society Journal #13, composed by Amitai-Priess, Berman & Qedar.