Price of the Shekel Rises to $1 Million
Bible and Archaeology News
An American collector paid $1.1 million for an ancient Judean coin at an auction in New York earlier this month. The silver shekel, dated to the first year of the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66 C.E.), is one of only two coins known to have been struck as prototypes for all later Judean coins; the other is on display in the Israel Museum. This is the highest price ever paid for a Judean coin.
The shekel was minted as a declaration of sovereignty just after the start of the revolt in the summer of 66 C.E. In addition to showing the letter aleph, which dates the coin to the first year of the revolt, it is decorated with inscriptions relating to Jewish independence, including the phrases “Jerusalem is holy” and “shekel of Israel.” Other decorations include a Temple vessel as well as three pomegranates surrounded by a border of dots.
An American collector paid $1.1 million for an ancient Judean coin at an auction in New York earlier this month. The silver shekel, dated to the first year of the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66 C.E.), is one of only two coins known to have been struck as prototypes for all later Judean coins; the other is on display in the Israel Museum pictured here.
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I know where a whole bunch of these coins are. Not saying they are all of this year or any for that matter, but they are there.
I was once working on a home for a friend where I discovered a group of coins in the walls. I kept 1 of each size. I still have them today. 1 looks very much like the one shown here. Who do I talk to about what I have because there were a lot more? I closed the walls up with them still inside.
There is a great significance to the location where these coins were found. I cannot describe that significance without jeopardizing the location.
Reverse the Obverse
The Obverse of the coin, the side depicting the chalice, is in mirror-shape. Hershel, reverse the obverse.
Robert Deutsch