I am considering picking up this prutah from Pontius Pilate and want to know what peoples opinions are on what I should expect to pay. Thanks in advance for the help!
Well, that one is quite rough (although could possibly be improved with some cleaning). I'd suggest $30-$40. On a side note, the attribution of these coins as "Pontius Pilate" prutah is, IMO, just marketing to inflate the price of otherwise very common coins. The name of Tiberius, not Pilate, appears on the legend. There's nothing about the coin to say it's a Pilate coin, other than the fact that Pilate was governor of Judea at the time. We don't attribute a 2003 San Francisco Mint dime as an Arnold Schwarzenegger dime just because he was governor of California at the time.
If I were to buy it should I clean it and if so how should I go about it? (Also I think that the sellers pictures may not do it's condition full justice)
Forum has a good overview on cleaning coins: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Uncleaned Ancient Coins For bronze coins - soak in olive oil or distilled water & gently scrub with a brass brush (or similar). We don't want to remove green patina though, just the dirt. Yes, some coins are better in the hand than in photos. I've had a few pleasant surprises when a coin arrives in the mail.
BTW I think what you said about marketing overhype also applys big time to the "Biblical Widows Mite"
The decision to clean or not to clean depends on Oh absolutely. And the "tribute pennies" and "star of Bethlehem" coins.
Ummm, dude if you know the guy and are picking up then please ask if he has any spear heads for sale from around some 1,985 years ago? I couldn't resist the allure. I mean, it was made, there, under his watch (aaand within the price range our old CT pal @GregH has recommended paying within) Puntchys Pilates (sounds like my wife's workout routine) Pontius Pilate (Procurator 26-36 CE). AE Prutah, Jerusalem mint, 30-31 AD. D/ Lituus. TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC. Dated RY 17 of Tiberius (30 CE R/ LIZ within wreath. RPC 4968. Hendin 649. AE. g. 1.95 mm. 16.00 About VF. Former Artemide Kunstauktionen
I think there’s a distinction as one was likely involved in many transactions amongst the populous of the time and one wasn’t.
TIBERIUS / PONTIUS PILATE / ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Judaea Pontius Pilate 14-37 CE - Prutah TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC Lituus Hendin 1342 Judaea Pontius Pilate - Prutah Julia - IOYLIA KAICAPOC Julia Caesar - LIVIA wife of Augustus Hendin 1341
They ARE Arnolds! Yes, since this is the Internet, and since I CALL them that, then they are BELIEVED by everyone, and they BECOME Arnold Schwarzeneggers!
A Pilate is still on my list. I think David Hendin has argued that the priestly implement on the OP coin (the curved staff or lituus) was designed to be insulting to the monotheistic Jewish population. I can neither confirm nor deny, but Hendin knows a bit more about biblical coins than I do.