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104
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.40 g), 132-135 CE.
Year 2 (133/4 CE). ‘Sma’ (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), two trumpets upright. (Mildenberg 20 (O5/
R14); TJC 243; Hendin 1392).
Very rare - Mildenberg cites just four specimens.
Well struck on a huge flan.
Toned. Extremely fine.
$ 1,250
Purchased privately, August 2001.
Interesting Note for Lots 104, 105, 106
Depicted on these silver Zuzim and others later in the sale, are two upright trumpets used by the sons of Aaron to call the people
together on certain occasions. While only one trumpet was really needed, it was felt that the two surviving sons of Aaron should
each have his own silver trumpet to avoid any sibling rivalry.
105
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.45 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). ‘Sma’ (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), two trumpets upright. (Mildenberg 24.6
(O5/R14; this coin); TJC 243; Hendin 1392). Wonderful broad flan. Traces of undertype visible on both
obverse and reverse. Extremely fine.
$ 1,250
ex Shoshana Collection, part 1 (Heritage, 8-9 March 2012), lot 20296
ex Abraham Bromberg Collection, part I (Superior, 5 December 1991), lot 136
ex El Fawar Hoard.
This specimen is the coin used to illustrate the type in (Mildenberg, zuz 24. It is clearly overstruck on a denarius of Hadrian. The
zuzim of Bar Kokhba were commonly struck upon both denarii and provincial drachms of Trajan and Hadrian and less commonly
on earlier coins from Mark Antony, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, through the Flavians and up to Nerva, and a few Nabataean silver
coins, were also used.