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147
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.54 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3 (134/5
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.
‘For the freedom of Jerusalem’ (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav, without etrog. (Mildenberg 58.20 (O13/R44; this
coin); TJC 270; Hendin 1412). Toned. Extremely fine.
$ 3,000
ex Jascha Heifetz Collection, part 2 (Superior, 9-10 December 1989), lot 2883
ex NFA VIII (6 June 1980), lot 362.
This undated sela attributed to the third year (134/5 CE) of the Bar Kochba War lacks the etrog (citron) that normally accom-
panies the lulav bundle on its reverse. This omission suggests hasty engraving and production in the face of the overwhelming
Roman assault that finally ended the war. It may connect this coin to several zuzim issues that omit the willow branch from their
reverse dies.
Incredible Quality ‘Wavy Line’ Bar Kochba Silver Sela
148
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.03 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3 (134/5
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, wavy
line. Rev. ‘For the freedom of Jerusalem’ (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (cf. Mildenberg 92 (O17/
R71); TJC 269; Hendin 1413). Well struck and perfectly centered. Underlying luster present and lightly
toned. A magnificent example. Superb extremely fine.
$ 6,000
ex Leu 72 (12 May 1998), lot 332.
The reverse die used to strike this coin is from a slightly later die-state, showing a die crack in the lower right-hand side which is
not on R71 and is not noted in Mildenberg’s text, and thus is a variation of Mildenberg 92. The die-crack is evident on AJC 53A.
The wavy line likely represents a golden grapvine over the entrance to the Temple (see introduction to the Bar Kokhba coins).