Valerius Gratus served as procurator of Roman occupied Judea from 15-26 A.D. Appointed by Emperor Tiberius, his service, lasting almost a dozen years, was the longest reign  More »

Valerius Gratus served as procurator of Roman occupied Judea from 15-26 A.D. Appointed by Emperor Tiberius, his service, lasting almost a dozen years, was the longest reign of any Roman procurator in Judea. It was during this period that the seeds of growing Jewish unrest were sown, and Jesus worked as an obscure carpenter in Galilee. As the procurator, Valerius was in charge of the religious affairs of his subjects, the Jews, which included appointing the high priests to the Temple. Valerius issued coins during the majority of the duration of his service. His coins, like all those minted by Roman procurators (with the exception of Pontius Pilate), featured no symbols that were utterly abhorrent to the Jews. Two of his favored symbols were the palm branch, a traditional symbol for the abundance of Judea that was also utilized by the Roman for their “Judea Capta” series commemorating the occupation of ancient Israel, and grapes or the grape vine, an important staple of the Judean economy that also had a religious significance as a ritual offering. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural details that are often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. The struggle of the Jewish people to rule their homeland, as represented by this coin, has finally come to an end in modern times. This coin reconnects us with the past, with those who fought and struggled for their freedom against an oppressive Empire almost two thousand year ago. - (C.791)   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Valerius Gratus - C.796 Origin: Israel Circa: 16 AD Collection: Jewish Coin Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Valerius Gratus - C.796 Origin: Israel Circa: 16 AD Collection: Jewish Coin Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less

Pontius Pilate was the Roman Procurator of Judea from 26 until 36 A.D. Though much literature, both ancient and modern, portrays him as infamous and incompetent, the judge  More »

Pontius Pilate was the Roman Procurator of Judea from 26 until 36 A.D. Though much literature, both ancient and modern, portrays him as infamous and incompetent, the judge who sentenced Jesus to death; however, it may be fairer to say he was a complex man beleaguered by extraordinary circumstances in a difficult time. The world in which Jesus lived was dominated by the Romans, although Rome did make concessions to the sensibilities of other cultures. This powerful coin is a case in point, showing the curved end of a scepter. Out of respect for Jewish sensitivity regarding graven images, coins depicted “still life” subjects such as palm branches, cornucopia, etc. The simplicity of this particular image is remarkably appropriate, though unintentional, resembling as it does the twisted end of a shepherd’s staff seen in Christian imagery. The poignant beauty of this coin matches the simple faith of the most pious. It is a memorial to one of the most momentous eras in history, when Roman paganism, Judaism, and the nascent faith of Christianity all intermingled in the same land. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural details that are often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. The coins of Pontius Pilate were circulated in Ancient Israel for over thirty years. They knew the scent of spice-stalls, heard the ranting or merchants, and smelled the sweat and dust of daily works. They were alive to the sounds of Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin voices haggling over prices in the marketplaces or offering prayers to YHVH, Jesus, or Jupiter in temples. Holding this work in our hands, we are transported back in history to one of the most fabled times words have recorded, when the Jewish people struggled to be free from Roman occupation and when the Lord Jesus Christ walk the earth, was tried, and executed. We can still feel the power of these events resonate in the energy of this ancient coin. - (C.854)   « Less

Pontius Pilate was the Roman Procurator of Judea from 26 until 36 A.D. Though much literature, both ancient and modern, portrays him as infamous and incompetent, the judge  More »

Pontius Pilate was the Roman Procurator of Judea from 26 until 36 A.D. Though much literature, both ancient and modern, portrays him as infamous and incompetent, the judge who sentenced Jesus to death; however, it may be fairer to say he was a complex man beleaguered by extraordinary circumstances in a difficult time. The world in which Jesus lived was dominated by the Romans, although Rome did make concessions to the sensibilities of other cultures. This powerful coin is a case in point, showing three ears of barley bound together. Out of respect for Jewish sensitivity regarding graven images, coins depicted “still life” subjects such as palm branches, cornucopia, etc. The poignant beauty of this coin matches the simple faith of the most pious. It is a memorial to one of the most momentous eras in history, when Roman paganism, Judaism, and the nascent faith of Christianity all intermingled in the same land. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural details that are often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. The coins of Pontius Pilate were circulated in Ancient Israel for over thirty years. They knew the scent of spice-stalls, heard the ranting or merchants, and smelled the sweat and dust of daily works. They were alive to the sounds of Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin voices haggling over prices in the marketplaces or offering prayers to YHVH, Jesus, or Jupiter in temples. This coin is a unique example because it has the same obverse image repeated on the reverse, suggesting that the minter made a mistake while striking out the coins. Holding this work in our hands, we are transported back in history to one of the most fabled times words have recorded, when the Jewish people struggled to be free from Roman occupation and when the Lord Jesus Christ walk the earth, was tried, and executed. We can still feel the power of these events resonate in the energy of this ancient coin. - (C.869)   « Less

Vine Leaf on branch with TIBERIOC above. Kantharos with scroll handles, flanked by a date. year 4 .KAICAP. - (C.7736)

Vine Leaf on branch with TIBERIOC above. Kantharos with scroll handles, flanked by a date. year 4 .KAICAP. - (C.7736)   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7738 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7738 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7739 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7739 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7740 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7740 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7741 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7741 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7742 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze

Bronze Prutah of the Procurator of Judea Antonius Felix - C.7742 Origin: Israel Circa: 52 AD to 60 AD Collection: Jewish Coins Style: Judean Medium: Bronze   « Less