0°; 13.6 grams
Obverse: Laureate head of Melqarth, right.
Reverse: [of Tyre the holy and inviolable], eagle standing left on prow/ram; date and club before, monogram to right.
Toned with Light Encrustation on Edges
Notes: “In Exodus 30:15 the half-shekel tax is authorized which everyone paid to help with the upkeep of the Temple. One year, in order to pay the tax for Peter and himself, Jesus tells Peter, “Go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.” (Matt. 17:27). Only the silver shekel minted in Tyre or Syria was acceptable at the Jerusalem Temple. Images of any god were forbidden, but all shekels from foreign countries had them. This one pictures the minor Greek god Melqarth, one of the least offensive to the Jews. All other silver coins had to be converted into this (or the Syrian) type for Temple use. So the 30 pieces of silver given to Judas were most likely 30 of these shekels.” http://www.ccu.edu/biblicalcoins/Bag21.htm
“The Temple Tax Coin: ‘...go to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the
fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou
shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them [the temple
tax collectors] for me and thee.’ Since the tax was one half shekel per
man the coin would have to be a shekel to pay the tax for both Jesus and
Peter. Matthew 17:24-27.” –Forum Ancient Coins
ex: The Time Machine Co. via VAuctions; Code CCII.
Bronze prutah, Hendin 469, TJC K, VF, 1.23g, 16.2mm, Jerusalem mint, 95 - 76 B.C.; obverse BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (of King Alexander), around anchor; reverse eight ray star surrounded by diadem (or wheel), Hebrew inscription "Yehonatan the king" between rays.
Notes: "Jesus said, "I
tell you the truth, this poor widow put more into the treasury than all
the others. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but
she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to
live on." (Mark 12:41)
"These coins are bronze lepton and prutah of Alexander Jannaeus, the
Hasmonean King of Judaea from 103 to 76 B.C. Although these coins were
minted long before Christ's lifetime, they were still in circulation
during the first century A.D. Because leptons and prutah were the lowest
denomination coins that circulated in Jerusalem during Christ's
lifetime, they are believed to be the coins referred to in the Biblical
story of the poor widow. The lepton is the very smallest denomination
and is probably the true "widow's mite." In fact, the lepton is probably
the lowest denomination coin ever struck by any nation in all of
history! Lepton and prutah were carelessly and crudely struck, usually
off center and on small flans. Because they circulated for a long
period, they are usually very worn. Legends are almost always
unreadable. The actual size of a prutah is less than 1/2 inch in
diameter. A lepton is usually about the same diameter as a pencil
eraser."
"Jannaeus anchor coins were probably struck after the conquest of the
coastal cities (with the exception of Ashkelon) in 95 B.C. The anchor
probably publicized the annexation of these areas." -- Ancient Jewish
Coinage by Yaakov Meshore
Ex: Forum Ancient Coins.
Macedonian Kingdom
AR Tetradrachm, posthumous.
25 mm; irregular flan; 17.03 grams
Obverse: Head of young Herakles facing right in lion-skin.
Reverse: ALEXANDROU; Zeus enthroned, facing left.
Ake, 311/310 BC; VF/nVF; Price 3291; Sear 6723v; ex David Welsh, Classical Coins; 10/21/04; Code CV.
