15 / 120
18
Judaea, Hasmonean Kingdom. John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan). Æ Double Prutah (4.37 g), 134-104 BCE.
Uncertain Samarian mint(?). ‘Yehohanan the High Priest and Head of the Council of the Jews’ (Paleo-He-
brew), double cornucopia adorned with ribbons, within circular beaded border. Rev. Macedonian helmet
with high crest and cheek guards right, within circular beaded border; in lower left field, monogram. (TJC
grp. H; Hendin 1136).
Very rare.
Heavy earthen-brown patina. About very fine.
$ 5,000
Purchased privately, August 1993.
19
Judaea, Hasmonean Kingdom. Judah Aristobulus I (Yehudah). Æ Prutah (2.28 g), 104 BCE. Jerusalem.
‘Yehudah the High Priest and the Council of the Jews’ (Paleo-Hebrew; block-style letters) in five lines within
wreath. Rev. Double cornucopia adorned with ribbons, pomegranate between horns, within circular beaded
border. (TJC grp. U; Hendin 1143). Attractive sandy-brown desert patina. Extremely fine.
$ 300
Purchased privately at the NYINC, December 1991.
The engraving of this emission of Judah Aristobulus I has linked it to early issues in the name of his brother and successor, Alexander
Jannaeus (104-76 BCE). It is remarkable that these evidently late coins still refer to Aristobulus I only as High Priest when Josephus
clearly states that he was the first of the Hasmonaean rulers to claim the title of king. This coinage may perhaps stand as evidence
against whatever textual source Josephus used to craft his rather melodramatic account of the rule of Aristobulus I.
Amazing Quality Alexander Jannaeus Æ
½
Prutah, 103-76
BCE
20
Judaea, Hasmonean Kingdom. Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan). Æ 1/2 Prutah (1.28 g), 104-76 BCE. Je-
rusalem. ‘Yehonatan the King’ (Paleo-Hebrew), upright palm branch, within circular beaded border. Rev.
Lily, within circular beaded border. (TJC grp. O; Hendin 1147). An amazing example with every letter
discernible. Very attractive desert-green patina. Extremely fine.
$ 2,500
Purchased privately, October 1994.
The palm branch and lily types of this rare issue of Alexander Jannaeus take their inspiration from an earlier coinage of his father,
John Hyrcanus I, probably as a means of visually indicating his legitimacy. Legitimacy was a perennial problem for Jannaeus, who
was constantly at violent odds with the Pharisees who challenged his right to be High Priest. When they pelted him with fruit at the
Feast of Tabernacles he responded by crucifying hundreds of his political opponents. This led to a slow-burning civil war between
Jannaeus and his subjects that dragged on for six years.