Biblical Coins for Easter

Since we are celebrating Christ’s Resurrection this Sunday I wanted to post a couple recent acquisitions with a Biblical theme.



This is the “Tribute Penny” referenced in the Gospel accounts when Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question about paying taxes (“Render unto Caesar...”). Since it’s a common type that circulated all over the Roman Empire, my coin probably circulated somewhere other than Judaea, but it’s still pretty cool to own one.



This one was issued under Herod Agrippa I who is referenced in the book of Acts. Although it circulated after Jesus’ ministry on Earth, it is specific to Judaea, so there is a stronger likelihood that it could have been handled by people who knew or saw Jesus or His disciples personally. If only it could tell us a story...

 

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Nice coins, @KSorbo, especially the denarius. Here is my "Tribune Penny". Happy Easter!

 

Lovely coins, @KSorbo ! Of course, one needs to post a Pontius Pilate prutah on Easter:

 

Here's a tribute penny that I happen to have in my inventory at the moment. One of the better ones I've come across...

 

A coin featuring the resurrection of Christ.


Andrea Dandolo (1342-1354 A.D.)
AR Mezzanino nuovo
O: AN DADVL SM VENE DVX, Doge and St. Mark holding banner, P in ex.
R: •XPS•RES-VRESIT•, Christ emerging from tomb, holding banner and cross.
.77g
15mm
Biaggi 2822

 

Nice coins all. I have yet to get a tribute penny.

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

 

PONTIUS PILATE


JudaeaPontius 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



Judaea Pontius Pilate 26-36 CE - Prutah TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC Lituus Hendin 1342

 

Thank you all for the lovely coins posted and the thoughts that were written with them. It is so nice to know we share an interest in more than just coins.

Happy Easter!

 

A Pontius Pilate prutah is definitely on my list. Not an easy coin to find with eye appeal like yours, especially the second one.

 

The December 1987 issue of WORLD COINS (Amos Press), carried Robert Leonard's "A Numismatic Illustration of the Bible." Speaking of the Tiberius/Livia, he said, "This coin is usually considered to be the Tribute Penny denarius simply because it is the commonest denarius of this reign...A more probable candidate is the denarius of Augustus with reverse Caius and Lucius Caesars...it has been found frequently in
Israel, while at one time the Tiberius denarius was thought to be almost unknown there...."

The historian Michael Grant also agrees that the Caius/Lucius denarius of Augustus is the best guess for the Tribute Penny of the Bible.

 

The Flynn Effect says that the average IQ has been increasing. That may be true. Surely, it seems that long ago, people were pretty easy to marvel with a snappy reply. I guess you had to be there...

 

This little guy is a potential "Caesar Penny". When I captured this, folks were telling me that these were probly more prevelant than Tiberius, and possibly what Iesus was referring. Hey, not the reason I purchased, rather I wanted an Augustus Denarius.


RI Augustus AR Denarius struck 2 BC-14 AD Caius and Lucius Caesars stdg shield spear Sear 1578

 

I kinda like this one, I got it more for him being the General that lost 3 legions in the Teutoburg Forest. However, earlier in his career he beat up on the Iudaeans around the time of Iesus' birth.

PUBLIUS QUINCTILIUS VARUS
RARE AE OF ANTIOCHEIA, SYRIA


RPC 4252, SNG Cop. 92, About Very Fine / Very Fine, 20.4mm, 8.03 grams, Dated year 27 = 5/4 B.C.E.

Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus to right

Reverse: Tyche of Antioch seated to right, holding palm branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right, in right field, date ZK (year 27 = 5/4 B.C.E.)

This rare coin was struck during Varus' assignment as governor of Syria from 7 - 4 B.C.E. Varus guarded the borders from Parthia and violently quelled unrest in Judaea and Samaria. Josephus records an incident wherein after the death of Herod., Varus occupied Jerusalem and crucified 2,000 Jews.

Later Varus was transfered to the Northern front, where he met disaster fighting the Germanic tribes in the Teutoburg forest. Three legions under his command, legions XVII, XVIII and XIX were completely annihilated. This caused emperor Augustus great grief and he was said to have cried out on occasion "Quintili Vare, legiones redde!" or "Quinctilius Varus, give me back my legions!"

 

Here's my Bar Kokhba sela which is commonly described as depicting the Ark of the Covenant in the center:

 

Byzantine anonymous follis, Class A3, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium, and colobium, Gospels in both hands. Time of Basil II and Constantine VIII, AD 1023-1028...

 

I have read about that theory. Even though the denarii of the previous ruler were more common in Israel, many have argued that Jesus’ illustration would have been most effective using a coin of the current Caesar. And considering the other things that He did here on Earth, getting a hold of a Tiberius denarius When He needed one shouldn’t have been a problem.

However, since this isn’t something we will ever prove conclusively, I wouldn’t mind having an Augustus denarius in my collection as well to be sure I have the options covered

 

Any tetradrachma. Matthew 17:24-27. The coin in the fish's mouth paid the temple tax for Simon and for Jesus. (The disciple's name was Simon, but everyone called him by his Greek name, Peter. I think of him as "Rocky." "Yo! I'm going with Jesus." And Jesus said, "Upon Rocky, I build my church.")

 

Uniface Medieval lead pilgrim token, period of the Crusades, 11th to 13th centuries, crude cruciform devices...

 

Augustus (27 BC-14 AD)
AR Tetradrachm
Syria-Antiochia ad Orontem
O: KAIΣAPOΣ ΣEB_AΣTOY, Laureate head right
R: ETOYΣ-ZK-NIKHΣ, Tyche seated right on rocks, palm branch in left hand, river god Orontes swimming right below, YPA monogram, IB / ANT monogram in right field Regnal Year 27 (5/4 BC), COS 12.
27mm
14.06g
Prieur 51; RPC 4152; McAlee 181
Ex David Hendin, 2004

Note: The ZK breaking the reverse legend is the regnal year 27, IB is for consulship 12. Minted in what is possibly the year of the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

Happy Easter, everyone!

Bro's Shekel of Tyre:



I can't the pics right now. But, thanks to Deacon Ray and Brian Bucklan, I have a couple of Pontius Pilate prutah dated to the year of the crucifixion!

Nm, I found a pic of one:



Man, ancient Biblical coins pwn!

Erin