A routine search for lost jewellery and keys along an Ashdod beach has led to the remarkable discovery of a rare 2,500-year-old Cypriot coin, offering new insight into ancient trade across the eastern Mediterranean.
Avi Chaprak, deputy director of the Ashdod Beaches Department, found the unusual coin while scanning the shoreline about a month ago. Recognising it could be of archaeological significance, he handed it over to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), where experts confirmed it was the first known example of its kind ever discovered in Israel.
The 11-gram coin, known as a siglos, was minted in the ancient city of Salamis on Cyprus during the mid-fifth century BC, when the island was part of the Persian Empire. Cyprus played a key role in maritime trade, linking the eastern Mediterranean with neighbouring civilisations.
Although the coin initially appeared to be solid silver, researchers found it was struck from a base metal coated with a thin layer of silver. According to IAA coin curator Yanniv David Levy, the technique was used in Cyprus during periods when silver was in short supply.
One side of the coin features a reclining ram, while the reverse shows a ram’s head inside a recessed square, accompanied by a laurel branch and symbols written in the ancient Cypriot syllabic script.
Experts say the coin’s excellent condition makes the discovery especially significant. During the Persian period, large coins were commonly cut into smaller pieces and traded based on the value of their metal rather than their face value. Complete examples are therefore uncommon, particularly those recovered from Israel’s Mediterranean coastline.
Archaeologists believe the find could help shed light on ancient maritime trade routes and the movement of merchants, travellers and goods between Cyprus and the Land of Israel. While the exact journey of the coin remains unknown, its discovery provides tangible evidence of the close commercial links that existed across the Mediterranean more than two millennia ago.
Unlike many ancient coins that surface through private collections or the antiquities market with little or no recorded origin, this specimen was recovered from a documented archaeological context, making it particularly valuable for researchers.
Chaprak was presented with a certificate of appreciation for reporting the discovery and ensuring the coin was transferred to the state’s archaeological collection.
“The coin belongs to our shared heritage,” he said. “It’s an honour to contribute, even in a small way, to preserving and understanding the history of the Land of Israel.”
The discovery highlights how even an ordinary day at the beach can uncover extraordinary pieces of history, offering a rare glimpse into the commercial networks that connected Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean some 2,500 years ago.