Prutah or Token - Anonymous Hasmonean Issue 140 BC - 37 BC
| Lead | - | - |
| Issuer | Judea |
|---|---|
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 140 BC - 37 BC |
| Value | 1 Prutah |
| Currency | Prutah (140 BC-95 AD) |
| Composition | Lead |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-10 |
| Numista | N#124879 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Lily flower between 2 grain ears, tied at bottom, small leaves on both sides of central stalk
Comment
Bijovsky, who is studying coins from execrations at Mt. Gerizim for publication, attributes these coins to the Hasmonean period based on iconography and archaeological context of second century BCE. "Due to their presence at Mt. Gerizim, they were probably produced in Samaria."David Hendin Guide to Biblical Coins Fifth Edition, p 202
Interesting fact
The Prutah or Token - Anonymous Hasmonean Issue (140 BC - 37 BC) from Judea made of Lead is one of the earliest coins to feature a portrait of a ruler. The coin bears the image of King Alexander Jannaeus, who was a member of the Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Judea during that time. This coin is significant because it shows the transition from the traditional Jewish practice of not depicting human images on coins to the adoption of this practice in the Hasmonean period.
