God on the Winged Wheel coin

Currently housed in the British Museum, with ID number TC,p242.5.Pop,[1] the silver coin has sparked intense scholarly debate and has been reclassified several times since its first appearance in the literature in 1814.

The reverse side shows a seated bearded figure, holding a bird (possibly a falcon), and sitting on a winged wheel.

Above the figure, three Phoenician letters are visible, which have been read variously as 𐤉𐤄𐤃 "YHD" (i.e. Yehud Medinata), 𐤉𐤄𐤅‎ "YHW" (i.e. Yahweh) or 𐤉𐤄𐤓 "YHR".

An early theory suggested that the figure might represent the Yahweh, which would make this drachma a unique example of an anthropomorphic depiction of the Hebrew deity.

The falcon and seated posture are reminiscent of depictions of Zeus, while the winged wheel may reflect the Persian iconography of Ahura Mazda.

[10][5] According to Scholar Gérard Nissim Amzallag, from the Ben-Gurion University, the Winged God doesn't represent Zeus, but Hephaestus (beinh his counterparts the Egyptian Ptah, who was considered the Creator; the Roman Vulcanus; the Cretan Velchanos, etc.

Despite this reclassification, debate over the coin's exact origin continues, with some scholars suggesting that it could have been minted in neighboring regions such as Philistia or Samaria.