Background: The Great Revolt (66-70 CE) was the first of the three large Jewish revolts against the Roman empire. It had many causes – the cruelty of the Roman regime, disputes between Jews and non-Jews, despair following the death of King Agrippa I of Judea, as well as internal tension between the Sadducees and Pharisees. After the rebels’ initial successes, Vespasian and his son Titus were sent to suppress the rebellion. The battles reached their peak with the capture of the city and the destruction of the Temple by Titus, but it took three more years until all the rebels were defeated.
The revolt failed, and its leaders were killed or captured. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed, taken captive, exiled or sold into slavery.
With the outbreak of the Jewish revolt against the Romans, production of the Tyrian silver shekel in Jerusalem ceased, and they began to mint an independent currency, with a similar form to the Tyrian shekel, as an act of defiance against Rome (as the minting of coins symbolized sovereignty and independence). The minting of independent coins provided them with means to circulate military slogans and messages to the Jewish public. The slogans expressed the Jewish people’s longing for victory (for example, ‘Free Zion’), their faith in victory with the help of G-d (‘For the Redemption of Zion’) and mention Jerusalem (‘Jerusalem the Holy’). The symbols which appear on the coins represent the abundant produce of the Land of Israel (a pomegranate branch, a vine leaf, a date tree) and vessels identified as the Temple vessels (the Omer goblet, wine libation vessels). Although Ktav Ashuri was the script commonly used at the time, the writing on the coins is in an ancient Hebrew script – as a way of connecting to the sources from the time of the First Temple and to the monarchy of King David.
The second and third years of the revolt (67-68) were the high point of the rebels’ strength and their activities in Jerusalem and the Temple; however, these coins were only in use for a short period of time, as with the failure of the revolt and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, they were no longer used, and many of them became raw materials for the creation of new coins.
The Bar Kochva Revolt broke out some 60 years later (132-135 CE), during which new coins were minted with similar symbols and writing to the decorations on the coins from the Great Revolt. The revolt had tragic consequences, and Bar Kochva’s (lit. son of a star) name was subsequently changed to Bar Koziva (lit. son of a lie), as an expression of despair and disappointment. Selah coins from the Bar Kochva revolt were mainly minted onto coins from Syria from the period the Emperor Trajan’s rule.
Over recent years, it is becoming increasingly popular to collect coins from the periods of the revolts, due to the Jews’ deep sentiments toward their glorious past in the Land of Israel. As a result, the price of such coins is increasing, making them, beyond their collector’s value, a worthwhile investment channel.
The coins are sold under License to Trade in Antiquities no. 318; an original permit is enclosed with each coin.
Description: 14.17 grams, 21 mm. axis 12. Within a NGC company holder, graded AU.
Obv.: Cup with rim of eleven pellets, surrounded by Paleo-Hebrew inscription (shekel of Israel). Above the cup, the date (abbreviation of year three (of the rebellion)). Rev.: Stem with three pomegranates surrounded by the inscription (Jerusalem the Holy).
Silver shekel from the second year of the Jewish War against Rome, with early Hebrew text.
Description: 14.12 grams. 22 mm, axis 12. Not graded.
Obv.: Cup surrounded by Paleo-Hebrew inscription (shekel of Israel). Above the cup, the date (abbreviation of year two (of the rebellion)). Rev.: Stem with three pomegranates surrounded by the inscription (Jerusalem the Holy) .
Condition: Fine.
Description: 14.16 grams, 23 mm. axis 1. In an NGC holder, graded ch XF.
Obv.: Facade of the Temple in Jerusalem, made up of four pillars with bases and capitals. Between the pillars, an ark. Above the pillars, a sort of beam marked by two parallel dotted lines. The pillars stand on a high base resembling a horizontal ladder. On right and left, Paleo-Hebrew inscription (Shimon). Above, a sign similar to *. Rev.: Lulav bundle (without ethrog on left), surrounded by the inscription (for the freedom of Jerusalem). The coin is undated.
7.79 grams. Celt coin with star, first century AD, Europe. NGC XF Strike 5/5.
Inclusive weight, 1.390 kgs. Hundreds of different coins from various years. Content not adequately inspected. Will be sold as-is.
A silver denarius (‘Zuz’), Bar Kokhba Revolt. Obv.: Paleo-Hebrew inscription
(Shimon) in wreath. The letters Ayin (
), Vav (
) and Nun (
) were changed. Rev: Lyre with three strings surrounded by the inscription (for the freedom of Jerusalem). 132/5 CE. 3.71 grams, 19¼ mm, axis 12. Cf. Ya’akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 69, no. 272 The Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135 CE) used similar symbols and inscriptions to the First Revolt. It broke out some seventy years after the destruction of the Second Temple and fifteen years after a Jewish revolt in the diaspora. The tragic consequences of the Revolt led to a pun on the name Bar Kokhba, Bar Cosiba, “son of the lie”. Bar-Kokhba coins were struck on Roman coins.
A silver denarius (‘Zuz’), Bar Kokhba Revolt. Obv.: Paleo-Hebrew inscription
(Shimon) in wreath. The letters Vav (
) and Nun (
) were changed. Rev: Flagon with handle and palm branch (‘lulav’) on right, surrounded by the inscription
(for the freedom of Jerusalem).132/5 3.22 grams, 20 mm, axis 11. Cf. Ya’akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 70, no. 283 The Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135 CE) used similar symbols and inscriptions to the First Revolt. It broke out some seventy years after the destruction of the Second Temple and fifteen years after a Jewish revolt in the diaspora. The tragic consequences of the Revolt led to a pun on the name Bar Kokhba, Bar Cosiba, “son of the lie”. Bar-Kokhba coins were struck on Roman coins.
A silver denarius (‘Zuz’), the second year of Bar Kokhba Revolt. Obv.: Paleo-Hebrew inscription
(abbreviation of Shimon) in wreath. Rev: Two trumpets; around and between, the inscription
(year two of the freedom of Israel). 133/4 C.E. 2.72 grams, 18¾ mm, axis 1. Cf. Ya’akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 66, no. 243. The Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135 CE) used similar symbols and inscriptions to the First Revolt. It broke out some seventy years after the destruction of the Second Temple and fifteen years after a Jewish revolt in the diaspora. The tragic consequences of the Revolt led to a pun on the name Bar Kokhba, Bar Cosiba, “son of the lie”. Bar-Kokhba coins were struck on Roman coins.
Obv.: Portrait of Vespasian facing right; inscription detailing the Emperors titles, around. Rev.: Victory inscribing a shield attached to a palm tree; Judaea seated r. at foot of palm tree as a mourning captive; in exergue, the letters SC (Senatus Consulto). 70/9 C.E. 24.82 grams, 34¼ mm, axis 6. Cf. Sear, Roman Coins vol.I, p. 443, no. 2344. After the Romans quelled the Jewish Revolt in 70 CE, the respective Emperors chose to advertise the victory widely and in no uncertain terms. In addition to victory parades, in which both prisoners of war and the sacred vessels of the Temple were displayed victory steles were constructed and coins were struck throughout the empire. The coins, most bearing the inscription ‘Judaea Capta’ (Judaea is captured) were struck for over a decade in many different mints even as far afield as Germany and Spain. On most coins there is a female figure seated depicting Judaea, bent over in a position of mourning, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by a soldier or trophy. Bronze coins were also struck in Caesarea inscribed in Greek so that the local populace could read them.
Twenty Byzantine coins worth 40 nummi from the ??? 18 Byzantine coins worth 20 nummi from the ??? * 20 Byzantine coins…. *25 Roman and Byzantine coins * Sixty six later Byzantine coins and anonymous coins. *19 Hellinist -Byzantine coins Seven Hellenist and Roman coins (including six bronze and one silver coins)
A lot of eleven Scarab Impressions of uncertain date
Obv.: Laureate head of Titus facing right, surrounded by Greek inscription [AY]TOKP [TITOΣ] [KA]IΣAP (Imperator Titus Caesar). Rev.: Trophy; On left, Judaea seats mourn (her hands tied behind her back). On right, shield. Around, the inscription [IO]YΔAIAΣ EAΛ[ΩKYIAΣ]. 70/9 C.E. 15.20 grams, 24¼ mm, axis 12. Cf. Ya’akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 79, no. 384. After the Romans quelled the Jewish Revolt in 70 CE, the respective Emperors chose to advertise the victory widely and in no uncertain terms. In addition to victory parades, in which both prisoners of war and the sacred vessels of the Temple were displayed victory steles were constructed and coins were struck throughout the empire. The coins, most bearing the inscription ‘Judaea Capta’ (Judaea is captured) were struck for over a decade in many different mints even as far afield as Germany and Spain. On most coins there is a female figure seated depicting Judaea, bent over in a position of mourning, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by a soldier or trophy. Bronze coins were also struck in Caesarea inscribed in Greek so that the local populace could read them.
Obv: Bust, surrounded by Arabic text. Rev: Six-ribbed star. 12-13th century. The star of David became accepted as a Jewish motif in the 18th century.
