2016-12-15 Thu

In 132 CE, the people of Judaea started revolting against the destruction of the Holy Temple which took place 60 years before that. Simon bar Kokhba led a small army of Jewish soldiers against the strong Julius Severus-led Roman army. Coins struck during this struggle by Bar Kokhba were the last ancient Jewish coins struck.

The rebels struck a large number of silver and bronze coins. The silver coins were of two denominations, the larger one was called a Sela (or tetradrachm) and a smaller one was called a zuz (or denarius). Bronzes were struck in three denominations, the names of which are not known.

All the coins were struck over the existing coins that were circulating in Judaea. The large Sela was overstruck on Syrian tetradrachms, the zuz was overstruck on Roman denarii or provincial drachms and the bronzes coins were struck on different local issues before the surfaces were filed.

Sometimes the under-type does not exist and sometimes a faint trace of a design from the host coin can be seen.

Recently, a zuz of the second year of the revolt (133/134 CE) was submitted for grading. It was overstruck with the dies of Mildenberg 39 on an IVDAEA denarius of the Roman emperor Vespasian (69 to 79 CE).

The obverse features Vespasian’s profile under the grapes, the text SPASIANVS AVG was seen under the original complete inscription IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG. The reverse features AEA of the IVDAEA inscription with a faint D.

Less than five of these IVDAEA under-types have been identified. The host coin was issued in 69 or 70 CE under the ‘Judaea Capta’ series celebrating Rome’s victory in the Jewish War of 66 to 70 led by Vespasian and his eldest son Titus.

Since the design was offensive for the local population, they were probably not circulated. Later these coins were used by rebel forces of Bar Kokhba to strike new coins. The coin was symbolic for Jewish rebels. It got rid of a symbol of Roman authority with their own emblems. This particular coin was more special as the original coin celebrates Roman victory in Judaea.

Bar Kokhba was defeated in 135 and his coinage was terminated. The Choice XF, Strike 3/5, Surface 4/5 graded coin will be offered at an auction of ancient and world coins held by Stack's Bowers at the Waldorf Astoria New York City on 13th and 14th January 2017.