Lot 2087
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.27 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. Reverse: 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), fluted jug with handle on left; in right field, willow branch. Hendin 1384; Mildenberg 8 (O4/R6); TJC 235. A superb example. Well struck on excellent metal and lightly toned. Among the finest quality hybrid we have handled. Underlying luster present. Superb Extremely Fine. Estimate Value $5,000 - 6,000
A Connoisseur's Collection of Ancient Jewish Coins; Ex Heritage Auction 3032, lot 23456.
This interesting zuz mules two obverse dies of different years of the Bar Kokhba War. The wreathed obverse die with the abbreviated name of Simon bar Kokhba belongs to the second year (132/3 CE) while the jug obverse die belongs to the first year and names Eleazar the priest. It has been suggested that Simon's name is abbreviated here (and on other coins) in such a way that it could also be read as the word shema ("hear"), the first word in Deuteronomy 6: 4 ("Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One.") which is the centerpiece of morning and evening Jewish prayer known as the Shema Yisrael. Based on this view it has been further proposed that the Shema prayer served as a rallying cry for the Bar Kokhba rebels.
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| Realized $3,173 |
