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91
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.18 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). ‘Simon’ (Paleo-Hebrew),
tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with
semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, star. Rev. ‘Year two of the freedom of
Israel’ (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 43 (O11/R30); TJC 233; Hendin 1388).
Rare -
only eleven specimens cited by (Mildenberg.
Delicately toned with underlying luster present. Extremely fine.
$ 5,000
Purchased on December 20, 1991 from Josef Kaufman.
Rare Wide Lyre Year Two Silver Zuz
92
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (2.63 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). ‘Sma’, abbreviating
Simon (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath of thin branches wrapped around eight almonds, with a medallion
at top and tendrils at bottom. Rev. ‘Year two of the freedom of Israel’ (Paleo-Hebrew), wide lyre with three
strings and four dots on sound box. (Mildenberg 13 (O4/R7); TJC 238; Hendin 1389). Well struck and
perfectly centered. Toned. Extremely fine.
$ 3,000
Purchased privately from D. Hendin, October 1993.
This and the following zuz of the second year (133/4 CE) of the Bar Kochba War reflect interesting iconographic and political
developments as the threat of a massive Roman invasion of Judaea loomed. The wreathed paleo-Hebrew legend type naming Simon
bar Kochba has evolved from the preceding large bronzes of the first year (132/3 CE), which is notable because the zuzim of that
year originally carried the name of Eleazar whom Simon may have killed in a fit of rage at his betrayal. The musical instrument on
the reverse, probably the kinnor used in the Temple, also appeared previously on medium bronzes of the first year. It is unclear why
these particular bronze-inspired types were employed for silver zuzim in the second year when they were still in use for large and
medium bronze denominations, respectively.