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313
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.10 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE).
‘Simon’ (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with leaf and tendril. Rev. ‘For the freedom of Jerusalem’
(Paleo-Hebrew), elongated lyre with three strings. Hendin 1435; Mildenberg 182 (O22/R116); TJC 274.
Overtsruck on a denarius of Trajan. Removed from an NGC slab where graded AU; Strike: 3/5, Surface:
4/5.
$600
From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection.
The grape bunch and kinnor combination of this undated zuz continue types first introduced for the silver de-
nomination in the second year of the Bar Kokhba War. Although this specimen is complete, some examples ap-
pear to have been cut in antiquity. Some commentators have considered the cutting to have been a means of invali-
dating the coins after the disastrous conclusion of the war while others have suggested that they simply represent an
expedient for making change. Problematic for the invalidation theory is the fact that so few cut coins are known, but at
the same time cut fractional coinage is also a great rarity in the ancient world once coin usage became firmly established.
314
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.27 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3 (124/5 CE).
‘Simon’ (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with leaf and tendril. Rev. ‘Fore the freedom of Jereusalem’
(Paleo-Hebrew), elongated lyre with three strings. Mildenberg 177 (O22/R111); Hendin 1435.
Very rare -
only 5 specimens cited by Mildenberg.
Boldly struck and perfectly centered. Pleasing old cabinet tone.
Extremely Fine.
$700
315
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (6.53 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3
(134/5 CE). ‘For the freedom of Jerusalem’ (Paleo-Hebrew), upright palm branch within wreath. Rev.
‘Simon’ (Paleo-Hebrew), elongated lyre with three strings. Hendin 1436; Mildenberg 31 (O2/R10); TJC
297. Green patina. Extremely Fine.
$500
From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection.