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Another Choice Quality Year One Silver
½
Shekel, 66-70 CE
33
Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver
1
/
2
Shekel (6.99 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 1 (66/7 CE). ‘Half of a Shekel’
(Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with wide, smooth rim, pellet on either side, and flat base with pearled ends;
above, ‘[year] 1’. Rev. ‘Jerusalem [the] holy’ (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round
base. (TJC 188; Hendin 1355). Lightly toned. Extremely fine.
$ 5,000
ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995), lot 1236.
34
Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (14.14 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). ‘Shekel of Israel’
(Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, ‘year
2’. Rev. ‘Jerusalem the holy’ (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 193;
Hendin 1358). Nicely toned. Superb extremely fine.
$ 5,000
ex Superior (4-7 June 1984), 1495.
The second year of the Jewish War against Rome (April 67-March 68 CE) saw the Zealot-led rebellion in the Galilee crushed by
the forces of Vespasian, soon to become the imperial successor of Nero. During this campaign, the future historian Josephus was
famously placed in command of the fortress at Gamla. When it was clear that all was lost, the leadership agreed not to surrender to
the Romans, choosing instead to die by killing one other by lot. When all were dead but Josephus and one other man, they both
fearing death, surrendered to the Romans. Thanks to this, Josephus lived on for many years, writing his account of the war respon-
sible for coins like this shekel.
35
Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver
1
/
2
Shekel (6.59 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). ‘Half of a Shekel’
(Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, ‘year
2’. Rev. ‘Jerusalem the holy’ (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 195;
Hendin 1359). Nicely Toned. Extremely fine.
$ 4,000
Purchased privately from Superior, March 1985.