Ryan Center for Biblical Studies

• Uselton Catalog #: 1
• Class: Biblical
• Ruling Authority: Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) (103-76 B.C.)
• Type: AE (bronze) prutah
• Size: 12.15 mm
• Weight: 1.09 g
• Die Axis: N/A
• Obverse: BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (of King Alexander), around anchor.
• Reverse: Eight ray star surrounded by diadem (or wheel), Hebrew inscription "Yehonatan the king" between rays.
• Exergue: N/A
• References:
• Original #: 1

Blueish patina.

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 Ya’akov Meshorer