These coins have always eluded my abilities to attribute them. I have tried using my Hendin 2001 and Meshorer 1967 but as usual fall short. Trust someone with the knowledge may be able to help attribute the piece illustrated and described below. All comments welcome. 15 mm 1.80 grams Copper Exhibits corrosion on both obverse & reverse. Trust there may be enough remaining for a Hendin or Meshorer number. TIA
Off the top of my head Alexander Janneus prutah with legend/cornucopia type. Are you wanting specific Hendin number?
Thanks medoraman for responding. Yes...it was my hope that a Hendin or Meshorer number might be forthcoming.
the double cornucopia started with John Hyrcanus I, then Judah Aristoblus I, then Alexander Jannaeus and continued with Salome Alexandra as Regent for John Hyrcanus II or Aristobulus II. However, I can't translate the legends...as i take another sip of whisky
Not only can I not translate the legends, I am unable to match them by pattern recognition. Perhaps it may prove impossible to fully attribute the item because the passage of time has muddled the legends (wear, corrosion, encrustation, damage..etc.) beyond recognition?
Thought to supply the obverse image without color in an effort to see if this might make the image clearer. See below.
I think one is similar. Excuse the lame photo - I snapped this when I was just starting out. I believe it says something like Yehenaton the high priest.
I recently had a similar situation with a prutah I found in my local dealer's junk bin - my efforts at attribution are below. The link was pretty useful, I thought, if not conclusive in this case. So it goes with ancients sometimes! Judaea, Hasmonian Kingdom John Hyrcanus I? Æ Prutah (135-104 B.C.) Jerusalem Mint Paleo-Hebrew within wreath (Yehohanan the High Priest and the Council of the Jews) / Double cornucopia beribbobed, pomegranate between. Hendin 457 (1.79 grams / 8 mm) Attribution Note: Obverse legend mostly illegible; this could be: "Consistent with a coin issued in the time of Alexander Jannaeus (103–76 B.C.)... similar coin was issued by Yehohnan Hyrcanus (135-104 B.C.)...Another similar coin...was issued by Yehuda Aristobulus 1 (104–103 B.C.)..." http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rak/courses/735/Realia/coins-Judean-vw.html
My not an expert opinion is that it could be a Hendin 1137. I have one that features most of the inscription. There are several Judaean coins that use this particular design of the double cornucopia and inscription. I still have to depend on my trusted dealers to decipher these.
Many thanks to ancient coin hunter, Marsyas Mike and Deacon Ray for their responses. Each of their examples and links, shed some light on the identity of the mystery coin. But this nut seems hard to crack and appears to need additional evidence to get to the final answer. I only wish I could be part of the solution but I just don’t have the chops to do so.
This is my lone prutah. Judea, 103-76 BC Hasmonean dynasty AE prutah Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) Jerusalem mint Obverse Hebrew inscription, Yehonatan High Priest Council Jews, surrounded by wreath. Reverse: Double cornucopia adorned with ribbons, pomegranate between horns. The script says: YHONTN = (Yehonatan); H= The; KHN = (Priest); H= The; DOL = (high); W = And, is missing by die engraver error. (HH)BR (consul); H= The; YHWDM (Jews). Good VF and exceptional for this crude issue. Rare 1.9 grams Hendin ?
