GROUP OF FOUR UNUSUAL JUDAEAN PRUTOT
Ex: VJM Collection, NJ Several of the coins presented on our site are oddities purchased by the numismatist collector in his study of the manufacturing method of these coins.
Top Left Coin: Alexander Jannaeus Widow's Mite / Prutah, Hendin 6180, 14mm, 1.43 grams, Struck 103 - 76 B.C.E.
A beautiful top-style engraving for Jannaeus. This is an example of a die break running through the coin. That is when the die itself that the coin is struck with forms a break, which is reflected on the coin.
Top Right Coin: Hasmonean Prutah planchet, 17mm, 2.67 grams, Circa. 135 - 76 B.C.E.
A planchet prepared for the striking of a Prutah, but the Prutah was never struck. This type of "quasi-coin" is called Prututot in the Talmud.
Bottom Left Coin: Jewish War Year Three Prutah, 16.9mm, 3.22 grams, Struck Circa. 68/69 C.E.
The scarcer year for the Jewish War Prutah. This prutah was struck with so much excess metal on the side that it actually folded up!
Bottom Right Coin: Porcius Festus Procurator of Judaea for Nero Prutah, Hendin 6380, 15.8mm, 1.79 grams, Struck Circa. 158/59 C.E.
A very pretty coin. Holes were sometimes formed in coins, either naturally due to the thinness of the metal or they were pierced. Though you can usually discern whether the hole was made intentionally or not, it is difficult to do so on this coin. The hole itself has the same old patina as the rest of the coin, so whatever happened, happened in antiquity!
Ex: VJM Collection, NJ
