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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 5596563, member: 85693&quot;]I am bringing this thread back because I just got a lepton - NOT a prutah (I think) - of Alexander Jannaeus and I am experiencing some confusion nailing down an attribution.</p><p><br /></p><p>The only photo I have is the seller&#039;s and they are not very clear, but here are the features that are pertinent:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Size:</b>&nbsp; This is clearly a lepton (half prutah), from what I have read, based on its size (0.63 grams / 13 x 11 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Wheel / Star Side:</b>&nbsp; Paleo-Hebrew (or Aramaic?&nbsp; I see it described both ways) between the spokes/rays.&nbsp; Solid circle around</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Anchor Side:</b>&nbsp; NO GREEK DATE on anchor points (so NOT Hendin 1152). In Greek:&nbsp; BAΣIΛEΩ[Σ AΛEΞANΔPO]Y, border of dots.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Style:</b>&nbsp; I bought this because it was cheap, and compared to so many of these, it is really well-struck with, well-defined Hebrew letters between the rays of the stars - the Greek inscription is rendered nicely as well.&nbsp; To top it off, it has what almost looks like a smooth, glossy Tiber patina.&nbsp; Being off-center is its big flaw, of course. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1241885[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>What is confusing me is the attribution - this looks exactly like a <b>prutah</b>, Hendin 1150 - all the elements match except the size.&nbsp; But Hendin 1151 has a &quot;refined style&quot; with Paleo-Hebrew between rays, <b>and is usually less than 1.00 gram</b> (see below).&nbsp; So that matches as well. </p><p><br /></p><p>Finding these that are as small as mine has been difficult, and acsearch has not been very helpful - the terms prutah/lepton are used pretty loosely in the auctions. </p><p><br /></p><p>Wildwinds has two examples of a lepton, &quot;Hendin 472&quot;! I think this might be an error?&nbsp; In any case they don&#039;t look much like mine.&nbsp; Very confusing. </p><p><br /></p><p>FORVM has a great, but complicated page on these, relevant bits below - with Hendin <i>not</i> distinguishing between lepton/prutah: </p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><b>&quot;Hendin 1151 - Different Paleo-Hebrew Inscription and ? Between Rays /More Refined Greek Epigraphy and Anchor Style, Usually Less Than 1.00 g.&quot;</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Lepta</b></p><p>Note: David Hendin now identifies all examples of these star anchor types as prutot, but we still identify the following smaller coins (Hendin 1152 and 1153) as lepta.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Hendin 1152</b></p><p>Bronze lepton (half prutah), Hendin 1152 (471), Meshorer TJC L, Meshorer AJC C, Jerusalem mint, 78 - 76 B.C., 1.3g, 14mm; obverse ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ</p><p><br /></p><p>ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ (of King Alexander), anchor upside-down in circle, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)">L KE (= year 25) near anchor points;</span> reverse Paleo-Hebrew inscription, King Alexander Year 25, star of eight rays surrounded by diadem of dots.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Widows%20Mite" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Widows%20Mite" rel="nofollow">https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Widows Mite</a></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>I know there are some real &quot;widow&#039;s mite&quot; experts out there, so please help a fella out! </p><p><br /></p><p>Note: I do understand the distinction between lepton/prutah may not have been made in ancient Judaea - I am just hoping for a valid modern attribution and/or correction.&nbsp; Thanks![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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