15 of the better condition coins after cleaning
The coins seem to be telling a story, though with many of the coins unidentifiable we may never know their full meaning. With there being 30 coins in the chest, and although they are not silver, we can not help but link them to the 30 coins mentioned in the bible.
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver - Matthew 26:14-15
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver."
WIDOW MITES
The coins include those coins used by the poor widow referred to in scripture and on which Jesus comments:
Luke 21:1-4
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Widow Mites showing both sides
Bronze Prutah, Obverse BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (King Alexander) around anchor; reverse eight ray star (or wheel) surrounded by diadem, Hebrew inscription “Yehonatan the king” between the rays.
The ANCHOR: The anchor was adopted from the Seleucids, who used it to symbolize their naval strength. Anchors are depicted upside down, as they would be seen hung on the side of a boat ready for use.
The STAR (Wheel): The star or star with diadem symbolizes heaven. Some prutah mites stars look more like wheels, and there is some debate as to whether that was meant to be a wheel or a star.
There was also a coin dating from the Crusader period.
CRUSADE COIN
BILLON SILVER DENIER OF THE LOCAL CRUSADER AREA
COMMANDER ANTIOCH-BOEMUND 3rd or 4th.
1149AD -1233 AD
Crusader.Principality of Antioch.
Bohemond III or IV c.1149AD-1233AD Bi.Denier.
BOAMANDVS, helmeted bust left, crescent in front star behind.
These coins were commonly used to pay the knights during the crusades.
MARCUS AMBIBULUS COIN
Marcus Ambibulus prefect under Augustus 9 A.D. - 12 A.D.
Minted at the approximate time that Jesus visited the Temple at age 12
Head of barley curved right; reverse palm tree with two bunches of dates
The palm is a date palm and this tree was a symbol of judea where these palms grew in great abundance. The palm also symbolised abundance and plenty, dignity, royal honour, jubilation and victory, and was used in religious processions.
In 6 AD, Herod Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, was deposed and banished to Gaul by Augustus. Archelaus' part of his father's kingdom (including Judea, Samaria, Idumea and Archelais) was (except for Archelais) organized as a Roman Procuratorial Province.
The coins of Herod Antipas were generally struck using poor metal alloys and consequently coins of his in this condition are extremely rare. HEROD ANTIPAS was the son of Herod the Great who became ruler of Galilee. He built the city of Tiberias as his capital. This is the Herod who was condemned by John the Baptist and later had John killed according to the Bible.
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