Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 95

THE NEW YORK SALE

The Jewish War - 66-70 CE

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 30		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (13.83 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 1 (66/7 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with wide, smooth rim, pellet on either side, and flat base with pearled ends; above, '[year] 1'. Rev. 'Jerusalem [the] holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 187; Hendin 1354). Virtually as struck. Superb. Nearly mint state. Estimate $8,000UP Purchased privately from Superior, May 1989. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $27,140
Lot 31		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (14.16 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 1 (66/7 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with wide, smooth rim, pellet on either side, and flat base with pearled ends; above, '[year] 1'. Rev. 'Jerusalem [the] holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 187; Hendin 1354). Die-break on the obverse. Lightly toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Ex Superior (8-10 August 1983), lot 114. The silver shekel of the first year (May 66-March 67 CE) of the Jewish War against Rome is perhaps one of the most iconic coins in the ancient Jewish coin series. The chalice on the obverse is widely believed to represent a ritual chalice used in the Jerusalem Temple while the reverse may represent a staff with three pomegranates. The pomegranate was a traditional symbol of Jewish priestly authority. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,735
Lot 32		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver 1/2 Shekel (6.73 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 1 (66/7 CE). 'Half of a Shekel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with wide, smooth rim, pellet on either side, and flat base with pearled ends; above, '[year] 1'. Rev. 'Jerusalem [the] holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 188; Hendin 1355). Virtually as struck. Nearly mint state. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased privately at the NYINC, January 1988. The dramatic first year (May 66-March 67 CE) of the Jewish War against Rome gave some hope that the Jewish rebels might actually win their independence. Late in 66 CE they defeated the Twelfth Legion commanded by the Roman procurator Cestius Gallus. Some of the silver coinage struck in this year may perhaps have been produced from the booty carried off by the victorious Jews in this con-frontation. Unfortunately, this Roman defeat led to Vespasian's transfer to the theater of conflict and the eventual quashing of the revolt in the Galilee. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $23,010
Lot 33		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver 1/2 Shekel (6.99 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 1 (66/7 CE). 'Half of a Shekel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with wide, smooth rim, pellet on either side, and flat base with pearled ends; above, '[year] 1'. Rev. 'Jerusalem [the] holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 188; Hendin 1355). Lightly toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $5,000UP Ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995), lot 1236. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $18,290
Lot 34		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (14.14 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 2'. Rev. 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 193; Hendin 1358). Nicely toned. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $5,000UP Ex Superior (4-7 June 1984), 1495. The second year of the Jewish War against Rome (April 67-March 68 CE) saw the Zealot-led rebellion in the Galilee crushed by the forces of Vespasian, soon to become the imperial successor of Nero. During this campaign, the future historian Josephus was famously placed in command of the fortress at Gamla. When it was clear that all was lost, the leadership agreed not to surrender to the Romans, choosing instead to die by killing one other by lot. When all were dead but Josephus and one other man, they both fearing death, sur-rendered to the Romans. Thanks to this, Josephus lived on for many years, writing his account of the war responsible for coins like this shekel. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $11,505
Lot 35		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver 1/2 Shekel (6.59 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). 'Half of a Shekel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 2'. Rev. 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 195; Hendin 1359). Nicely Toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $4,000UP Purchased privately from Superior, March 1985. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $24,780
Lot 36		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ Prutah (3.43 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). 'Year two' (Paleo Hebrew), amphora with broad rim and two handles. Rev. 'The freedom of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on small branch with tendril. (TJC 196; Hendin 1360). Well centered and struck. Nice desert green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $150UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin at the NYINC, December 1984. Although struck by the Jewish rebels against Rome, the the prutot of the Jewish War take much of their typological inspiration from the earlier coinages struck for Judaea by the Roman praetorial government. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $856
Lot 37		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ Prutah (1.96 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 2 (67/8 CE). 'Year two' (Paleo Hebrew), amphora with broad rim and two handles. Rev. 'The freedom of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on small branch with tendril. (TJC 198; Hendin 1360b). Dark brown patina with light sandy highlights. Extremely fine. Estimate $150UP Purchased privately from H. Kriendler, October 1987. Like many of the prutot struck for Judaea under the Roman administration and the Herodian and Hasmonean dynasties, the prutot of the Jewish War were struck on a large scale. Even so we must keep in mind that the "mint" in an ancient society was nothing like the modern factory style mint we understand today. Ancient mints may have been small and with only a few employees. There is evidence that ancient mints produced coins only periodically, and for this reason it is quite likely at some times and in some geographic areas where there was a shortage of small money, irregular issues, such as this coin, were manufactured. The irregular issues were, quite simply, irregular in their manufacture, their design, their legends, and their metallurgy. Irregular coins during the Jewish War were likely made at multiple locations. One thing we definitely know about these irregular coins is that archaeological evidence proves that they were used side-by-side and apparently without discrimination between the regular issues. In this respect they may be considered similar to the Hard Times tokens of the United States or the Condor tokens of England. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $944
Lot 38		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (13.99 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 3 (68/9 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 3'. Rev. 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 202; Hendin 1361). Delicate golden toning. Lustrous. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $6,000UP Purchased privately from NFA, November 1984. The third year (April 68-May 69 CE) of the Jewish War saw some slight respite from the Roman advance as the death of Nero plunged the Roman Empire into a civil war into which Vespasian was drawn. However, violence in Jerusalem reached new heights as the Zealot leaders of the crushed northern revolt waged their own civil war against Ananus ben Ananus, the leader of the more moderate priestly authorities. This factional conflict resulted in an ignominious siege of Jerusalem by the Zealots and the slaughter of Ananus and his adherents. Jerusalem the holy, as it is described on the shekels, had been defiled by the blood of its own people before ever the Romans entered the city. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $15,930
Lot 39		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver 1/2 Shekel (6.69 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 3 (68/9 CE). 'Half of a Shekel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 3'. Rev. 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 203; AJC 19a (this coin); Hendin 1362). Light iridescent toning along the periphery. Extremely fine. Estimate $6,000UP Ex Superior (21 November 1983), lot 44. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $29,500
Lot 40		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ Prutah (2.40 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 3 (68/9 CE). 'Year three' (Paleo Hebrew), amphora with broad rim, two handles, and conical lid decorated with tiny globes hanging around edge. Rev. 'The freedom of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on small branch. (TJC 204; Hendin 1363). Earthen-brown patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $200UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, November 1992. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $649
Lot 41		Judaea, The Jewish War. Silver Shekel (13.41 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Shekel of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), ritual chalice with pearled rim, the base raised by projections on both ends; above, 'year 4'. Rev. 'Jerusalem the holy' (Paleo-Hebrew), staff with three pomegranate buds, round base. (TJC 207; Hendin 1364). Very Rare. Uncleaned and perefectly centered. Among the finest known examples. Extremely fine. Estimate $30,000UP Purchased privately, November 1984. The disasters brought by the internecine conflict among the Jewish rebel factions in the third year of the Jewish War turned into horror in the fourth (April 69-March 70 CE) as Titus marched south against Jerusalem and laid siege to the heavily fortified city. The Jews trapped within faced the torment of starvation. Hunger stalked the streets and compelled the Jerusalemites to eat the leather from their shoes, belts, and even the coverings of their shields. Some even descended to cannibalism in order to survive, according to Josphus. By this point, the possibility of redeeming Zion from the Romans was long past and the tragic fall of the Holy City was soon to come. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $35,400
Lot 42		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/2- Shekel (17.01 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four, half' (Shekel) (Paleo-Hebrew), two lulav branches flanking ethrog (citron). Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), palm tree with two bunches of dates, flanked by baskets with dates. (TJC 211; Hendin 1367). Medallic flan. Dark green and brown patina with earthen highlights. Very fine. Estimate $5,000UP Purchased privately at the NYINC, December 1995. The introduction of large bronze denominations in the final year (April 69-March 70 CE) of the Jewish War illustrates the desperate state of the Jewish rebels as they struggled to defend Jerusalem against the Roman forces led by Titus and against the violent rifts in the rebel leadership. Silver denominations from this disastrous year are very rare, suggesting that silver had become more difficult to obtain in the Holy City. Josephus even provides us with the scene of inhabitants so desperate that they took to swallowing their silver and gold. These large bronzes must have filled in the gaps in the rebel currency system as the horrific end of the war loomed closer; indeed, they carry legends identifying them as a "half," presumably indicating a fiduciary token standing in for a proper silver 1/2 Shekel. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,980
Lot 43		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/4 Shekel (9.56 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four, quarter' (Paleo-Hebrew), two lulav branches. Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), etrog. (TJC 213; Hendin 1368). Lovely dark green patina with flecks of red and sandy highlights. Choice very fine. Estimate $2,500UP Ex Superior (1-2 December 1990), lot 2219. The lulav branches and etrog types depicted on the token bronze quarter shekels of the fourth year (April 69-March 70 CE) of the Jewish War refer to Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, which was both a harvest celebration and a commemoration of the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This typology may appear at this time because the rebels had reached the point of no return and had no hope of surviving the coming Roman onslaught without divine aid. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,956
Lot 44		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/4 Shekel (8.47 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four, quarter' (Paleo-Hebrew), two lulav branches. Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), etrog. (TJC 213; Hendin 1368). Uncleaned. Very fine. Estimate $1,500UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, August 1988. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,186
Lot 45		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/8 Shekel (5.20 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav branch flanked by an etrog on either sider. Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), chalice with pearled rim. (TJC 214; Hendin 1369). Pleasing green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $400UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, June 1987. The bronze eighth denomination of the fourth year (April 69-March 70 CE) of the Jewish War is remarkable for its use of the pearled chalice type on the reverse when this had previously been reserved for silver shekels and fractions. It may signal that this denomination, although unmarked, was intended as a token representing a value in silver. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $974
Lot 46		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/8 Shekel (4.47 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav branch flanked by an etrog on either sider. Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo Hebrew), chalice with pearled rim. (TJC 214; Hendin 1369). Reddish-brown patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $400UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, November 1985. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,003
Lot 47		Judaea, The Jewish War. Æ 1/8 Shekel (5.60 g), 66-70 CE. Jerusalem, year 4 (69/70 CE). 'Year four' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav branch flanked by an etrog on either sider. Rev. 'To the redemption of Zion' (Paleo-Hebrew), chalice with pearled rim. (TJC 214; Hendin 1369). Attractive desert-green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $400UP Purchased privately at the NYINC, December 1998. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,092
Lot 48		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.21 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 3 (O1/R3); TJC 218; Hendin 1373). Exceptional quality and nice toning. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $60,000UP Ex Leu 91 (10 May 2004), lot 295. The Year 1 (132-33 CE) Sela of the Bar Kokhba Revolt classically depicts, on the reverse, the four species of the holiday of Succos which are observed by Jews even today. According to the Talmud, the four species consist of one citron (etrog), one palm fond (lu lav) on each side of which are three (3) myrtle twigs (hadassim) and two (2) willow twigs (aravos). However, Rabbi Akiva suggested that there should be only one myrtle twig on one side and one willow twig on the other side of the palm fond (lulav). His opinion was not accepted. Nonetheless, since Rabbi Akiva felt that Simon Bar Kokhba was the Jewish Messiah and it may be noted that on all the selas (tetradrachmas) of Bar Kokhba, on close inspection, there appears to be only one myrtle and one willow as in the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. Another interesting observation on many of the Bar Kokhba selas (tetradrachms), the depicted etrog has a constriction in the middle as if it is wearing a belt or "garter". Many Jews today prefer such an etrog, with a "garter", on their own clothes (Hassidic cus-tom). This may be indicative of the belt separating the upper "clean" part of the body from the lower. The Bar Kokhba War (132-135 CE) broke out when Hadrian decided to refound Jerusalem - still largely ruined from the disastrous Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE) - as the pagan city of Aelia Capitolina. Although Jewish discontent had already erupted into violence in the Diaspora during the reign of Trajan, the Jews of Judaea seem not to have risen up against the Romans until this threatened abomination against the site of the Temple and the surrounding Holy City. The leader of this new rebellion, which took the form of a bloody guerilla war, was Simon bar Kokhba who had messianic pretensions and gained a reputation as a great warrior. Unfortunately, although Bar Kokhba managed to make Hadrian pay dearly for Aelia Capitolina, when the emperor assembled an army of six full legions to invade Judaea in 134 CE the rebellion was soon crushed. In punishment almost the entirety of Judaea was laid waste by the victorious Romans and the Jewish population destroyed or driven out. In order to fund the rebellion, Bar Kokhba and his supporters used what circulating coins they could find or capture from the Romans and restruck them with new types more suitable for their revolutionary purposes. The most remarkable and desirable of the new types were used for the silver sela overstruck primarily on Syrian and Phoenician tetradrachms. The obverse features a depiction of the façade of the Jerusalem Temple with an uncertain object inside, which has been variously interpreted as the show bread table or the Ark of the Covenant. It has been suggested that the Bar Kokhba rebels intended to rebuild the Temple, but the presence of either the show bread table or the Ark - items lost at the end of the Jewish Revolt or earlier - seems to imply that the image represents the idea of the Temple to rally support rather than any real edifice planned by the Bar Kokhba rebels. The reverse type looks back to the coinage of the Jewish Revolt in its depiction of the lulav and etrog associated with the Fest of Tabernacles. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $67,850
Lot 49		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.15 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), jug with handle; at right, willow branch. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), grape bunch with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 1 (O1/R1); TJC 219; Hendin 1374). Overstruck on a denarius of Trajan, with legend and portrait on host coin partially visible. Choice very fine. Estimate $20,000UP Purchased privately from H. Kriendler, March 1990. The silver zuzim of the Bar Kokhba War were regularly overstruck on Roman imperial denarii and provincial drachms from Cappadocia and Bostra that had been captured by the rebels from the invading Roman forces. The types seem to be influenced by the bronze pruthot of the earlier Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE) which featured an amphora and a vine leaf. The zuzim of the Bar Kokhba War mirror this typology by depicting a one-handled jug on the obverse and a grape bunch on the reverse, and those of the first year of the war (132/3 CE) are especially notable because they name "Eleazar the priest," a mysterious figure who disappears from the coins in the subsequent years of issue except for some mules. It is often suggested that he is none other than Rabbi Eleazar of Modein, an uncle of Simon bar Kokhba who seems to have lent his religious authority to the cause of war against the Romans. Later, after having begun doubting his actions and planning to surrender to the forces of Hadrian, Bar Kokhba reportedly kicked him to death. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 50		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Large Bronze (17.95 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), amphora with two handles. (Mildenberg 12 (O3/R4); TJC 221; Hendin 1375). Very Rare. Dark sandy green patina on a perfectly round flan. Very fine. Estimate $15,000UP Purchased privately at the NYINC, December 1993. Like the silver zuz, the large bronze denomination of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War also takes its typological cues from earlier Jewish coinage. The wreathed paleo-Hebrew inscription naming Jerusalem, the coinage was almost certainly inspired by the ubiquitous prutot of the Hasmonean high priests and priest-kings. This hearkened back to the lost glory days of the late second and early first centuries BCE when Judaea was a free and powerful state that struck fear into the hearts of its many pagan neighbors, but it may also have been intended to make a direct connection between Simon bar Kokhba and the Hasmonean dynasty for the sake of legitimacy. It is probably no coincidence that both Bar Kokhba and the Hasmonaeans hailed from the town of Modein in the Judaean Shephelah. The amphora reverse is very similar to that found on prutot of the first failed Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE) and serves to connect the Bar Kokhba War to the previous tragic struggle of the Judaean Jews against Rome. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 51		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Large Bronze (27.62 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), amphora with two handles. (Mildenberg 2 (O1/R2); TJC 220b; Hendin 1376). Very Rare. Dark green patina with earthen highlights on a full round flan. Very fine. Estimate $15,000UP Purchased privately from Superior, December 1987. This variety of the large bronze denomination of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War (132-135 CE) is notable for its obverse paleo-Hebrew legend which does not name Jerusalem within the wreath anymore, but rather Simon [bar Kokhba] as nasi (president) of Israel. Although nasi is sometimes translated as "prince" rather than "president," it almost certainly refers to Simon bar Kokhba's role as the leader of the Great Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious assembly that originally held court in the Jerusalem Temple before its destruction). View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,980
Lot 52		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Large Bronze (26.75 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), amphora with two handles. (Mildenberg 4a (O1/R2; this coin); TJC 220b; Hendin 1376). Very Rare. Dark brown patina with sandy-earthen highlights. Choice very fine. Estimate $15,000UP Ex Sugar Collection (Rosenblum 25A, 23 February 1995), lot 85. Ex Tomkin Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $13,275
Lot 53		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Large Bronze (26.28 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), amphora with two handles. (Mildenberg 6 (O1/R6); TJC 220b; Hendin 1376). Very Rare. Sandy-green desert patina. Choice very fine. Estimate $15,000UP Purchased privately from E. Waddell at the NYINC, January 2003. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $17,700
Lot 54		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (8.83 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), palm branch within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo Hebrew), wide lyre with five strings. (Mildenberg 20 (O1/R1); TJC 223; Hendin 1377). Very rare - only seven specimens from this die combination cited by Mildenberg. Lovely earthen green patina. Estimate $1,250UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin at the NYINC, December 1994. The reverse type of this and the following two middle bronze denominations of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War is commonly identified as a nevel, a stringed instrument thought to have been similar to the Greek chelys. Although the kinnor - a related instrument similar to the Greek kithara - was prescribed as an instrument to be played in the Jerusalem Temple, the nevel had an even more important status in some rabbinical Jewish traditions. It was said that the world was actually sung into existence to the accompa-niment of a perfect 22-stringed nevel. The reverberating notes of these strings subsequently became the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Considering the messianic flavor of the Bar Kokhba revolt one wonders whether the nevel type alludes to a new creation for Judaea free from Roman oppression. The palm branch on the obverse may perhaps celebrate the early victories of the Bar Kokhba rebels during "year one of the redemption of Israel." View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,304
Lot 55		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (12.52 g), 132-135 CE. 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), palm branch within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), wide lyre with four strings. (Mildenberg 25 (O1/R6); TJC 223; Hendin 1377). Very rare only four specimens from this die combination cited by Mildenberg. Nice green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,250UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, March 1993. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,478
Lot 56		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (14.97 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), palm branch within wreath. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), wide lyre with five strings. (Mildenberg 25 (O1/R6); TJC 223; Hendin 1377). Green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,250UP Ex Jascha Heifetz Collection, pt. 2 (Superior, 9-10 December 1989), lot 2836. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 57		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (17.23g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on tendril. (Mildenberg 34a (O1/R6; this coin); TJC 222; Hendin 1378). This coin illustrated in Mildenberg and cited as one of the five best examples out of around fifty known. Brown patina with green encrustations. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,000UP Ex Abraham Bromberg Collection, Part I (Superior, 5 December 1991), lot 240. Ex NFA III (27 March 1976), lot 119. Ex Glendining's (5 March 1970), lot 174. The vine leaf reverse of this and the following middle bronze denomination of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War may have been inspired by the prutot of the earlier failed Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE) that employed a similar type. In this way the Bar Kochba War was presented as a continuation of the earlier fight and lent it legitimacy in historical terms. The palm tree was a symbol of Judaea going back at least to the time of the Jewish Revolt since it regularly appears on Roman coins in conjunction with Jewish captives under Vespasian and his successors. The seven branches consciously recall the seven arms of the menorah, perhaps the Jewish symbol par excellence. The palm tree was also prominent on coins of the Galilean city of Sepphoris, which became an important center of rabinnic Judaism after the Bar Kokhba War. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,124
Lot 58		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (14.12 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on tendril. (Mildenberg 38 (O1/R5); TJC 222; Hendin 1378). Green patina with earthen overtones. About extremely fine. Estimate $700UP Ex Goldberg 48 (16 September 2008), lot 1846. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,534
Lot 59		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (12.05 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on tendril. (Mildenberg 46 (O2/R11); TJC 222a; Hendin 1378). Green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $700UP Purchased privately from H. Kriednler, October 1994. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $649
Lot 60		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Medium Bronze (12.47 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Sma' (abbreviating Simon; Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), vine leaf on tendril. (Mildenberg 167 (O6/R6); TJC 258; Hendin 1379a). Very rare - only 4 examples cited by Mildenberg. Brown patina with sandy highlights. Choice very fine. Estimate $1,000UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, July 1989. This is a so-called irregular issue of the main year 1 middle bronze palm tree series. Like all of the irregular issues of the Bar Kokhba War (132-135 CE), it is distinguished by crude engraving and errors in the legends. These irregularities indicate either the use of unskilled die cutters at the Bar Kokhba mint(s) or that these particular issues were produced in haste and otherwise difficult circumstances. features an obverse legend that abbreviates the name of Simon bar Kokhba and his title as nasi (president) of Israel to the three letters SMA. It is the type common to year 2 medium bronzes, but here is paired with a reverse of year 1. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $974
Lot 61		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Small Bronze (6.32 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 150 (O1/R4); TJC 224; Hendin 1380). Earthen-green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $600UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, November 1985. The small bronze denomination of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War is typologically connected to the middle bronze palm tree denominations. The palm tree emblem of Judaea appears again on the obverse, but on the reverse the vine leaf of the middle bronze denomination is replaced by a grape bunch. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,033
Lot 62		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Small Bronze (5.63 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 147 (O1/R1); TJC 224; Hendin 1380a). Attractive desert brown and green patina. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $750UP Purchased privately from Superior at the NYINC, December 1988. This example of the year 1 small bronze denomination exhibits the irregularity of a retrograde paleo-Hebrew inscription. Evidently the engraver did not understand that he needed to cut the letters backwards into the die in order for them to appear properly on the finished coin. Also interesting is that it shares its reverse die with the silver zuzim of year 1, cf. (Mildenberg series II, 1, die O1. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,121
Lot 63		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Small Bronze (5.01 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 149 (O1/R3); TJC 224a; Hendin 1380c). Very rare - only five examples cited in Mildenberg. Dark earthen-green patina. Extremely fine. Estimate $600UP Ex NFA XXVI (14 August 1991), lot 160. Tthis small bronze denomination variety of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kochba War is notable for the variant form of its paleo-Hebrew obverse inscription. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,180
Lot 64		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Small Bronze (4.36 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 151 (O1/R5); TJC 227; Hendin 1381). Very rare. Green patina with earthen highlights. Nearly extremely fine. Estimate $2,000UP Purchased privately from H. Kriendler, November 1997. This small bronze denomination is linked to the silver sela'im and one series of large bronze denominations of the first year (132/3 CE) of the Bar Kochba War through the use of a paleo-Hebrew legend naming Jerusalem instead of Simon bar Kochba. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,956
Lot 65		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Small Bronze (4.81 g), 132-135 CE. Irregular issue. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo-Hebrew), seven-branched palm tree with two bunches of dates. Rev. 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. (Mildenberg 227 (O3/R3); TJC 228; Hendin 1381b). Extremely rare - (Mildenberg cites just one specimen. Dark green patina. Very fine. Estimate $1,000UP Purchased privately, January 1988. Besides dated Year One, the coarse style and the leaf-like treatment of the grape bunch identify this as the product of the irregular rebel mint. The rarity of this particular issue may be gauged by the fact that only one specimen was cited by (Mildenberg. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $826
Lot 66		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.33 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), palm branch. (Mildenberg 10 (O2/R8); TJC 237; Hendin 1382). Boldly struck and delicately toned. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $9,000UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, October 1989. Ex Maltiel-Gerstenfeld Collection. This and the following zuz represent hybrid coins struck from two reverse dies, one from the first year (132/3 CE) and the other from the second year (133/4 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War. According to (Mildenberg's die studies, the Year 1 / 2 hybrids were struck quite early in the second year. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $12,390
Lot 67		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.06 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with branch and small leaf. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), wide lyre with three strings and four dots on sound box. (Mildenberg 9 (O1/R7); TJC 236; Hendin 1383). Very rare - only six examples cited by Mildenberg. Struck on a huge flan. Superb. Nearly mint state. Estimate $10,000UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, May 1991. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $15,340
Lot 68		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (2.71 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Sma' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath of thin branches wrapped around eight almonds, with a medallion at top and tendrils at bottom. Rev. 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), fluted jug with handle on left; in right field, palm branch. (Mildenberg 3 (O3/R1); TJC 235; Hendin 1384). Magnificent quality, one of the finest known. Delicately toned. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $4,000UP Ex Superior (9-10 December 1994), lot 822. This and the following three hybrid zuzim mule two obverse dies of different years of the Bar Kochba War. The wreathed obverse die with the abbreviated name of Simon bar Kochba belongs to the second year (132/3 CE) while the jug obverse die belongs to the first year and names Eleazar the priest. It has been suggested that Simon's name is abbreviated here (and on other coins) in such a way that it could also be read as the word shema ("hear"), the first word in Deuteronomy 6: 4 ("Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One.") which is the centerpiece of morning and evening Jewish prayer known as the Shema Yisrael and the most important prayer in Judaism. Literature suggests that the Shema prayer served as a rallying cry for the Bar Kochba rebels. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $6,195
Lot 69		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.01 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Sma' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath of thin branches wrapped around eight almonds, with a medallion at top and tendrils at bottom. Rev. 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), fluted jug with handle on left; in right field, palm branch. (Mildenberg 4 (O3/R2); TJC 235; Hendin 1384). Very rare - only six specimens cited in Mildenberg. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $4,000UP Ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995), lot 1250. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,956
Lot 70		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.23 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Sma' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath of thin branches wrapped around eight almonds, with a medallion at top and tendrils at bottom. Rev. 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), fluted jug with handle on left; in right field, palm branch. (Mildenberg 7 (O4/R5); TJC 235; Hendin 1384). Toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $4,000UP Ex Abraham Bromberg Collection, part II (Superior, 10 December 1992), lot 442. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,422
Lot 71		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.52 g), 132-135 CE. Hybrid year 1, year 2 (132/3-133/4 CE). 'Sma' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath of thin branches wrapped around eight almonds, with a medallion at top and tendrils at bottom. Rev. 'Eleazar the priest' (Paleo-Hebrew), fluted jug with handle on left; in right field, palm branch. (Mildenberg 5 (O3/R3); TJC 235; Hendin 1384). Rare - only nine examples cited in Mildenberg. Boldly struck. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $4,000UP Purchased privately, June 1988. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,776
Lot 72		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.02 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 9.8 (O1/R8; this coin); TJC 229; Hendin 1385). Rare - only ten specimens cited by Mildenberg. The cover coin from Bromberg II, and overstruck on a tetradrachm of Nero from Antioch. Toned. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $10,000UP Ex Abraham Bromberg Collection, part. II (Superior, 10 December 1992), lot 394 (cover coin). Ex Beit Mirsim Hoard. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $15,340
Lot 73		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.02 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 7 (O1/R5); TJC 229; Hendin 1385). Very rare - only six specimens cited by Mildenberg. Toned. Nearly extremely fine. Estimate $8,000UP Purchased privately from H. Kriendler, November 2003. A hybrid issue as this sela was struck with an obverse die used on the first year of issue. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $11,210
Lot 74		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.46 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, + dividing legend. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 10O2/R8); TJC 229; Hendin 1386). Beautifully toned. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased privately from D. Hendin, July 1988. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $15,930
Lot 75		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.00 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, + dividing legend. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 12 (O2/R7); TJC 229; Hendin 1386). Extremely rare - Mildenberg cites just two specimens. Darkly toned. About extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased privately from Antiqua at the NYINC, January 2003. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,375
Lot 76		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.88 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, +. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 14 (O3/R8); TJC 230a; Hendin 1387). Toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995) lot 1261. Ex Abramowitz Collection (Superior Stamp & Coin Co. Inc. December 8, 1993), lot 86. Ex Hess-Leu 36, lot 348. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,145
Lot 77		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.32 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, +. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 16 (O4/R10); TJC 230a; Hendin 1387). Extremely Rare - only one cited by Mildenberg. Lustrous superb extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased privately from I. Goldberg, September 1998. This sela and the following six examples also represent the regular issues of the second year (133/4 CE) of the Bar Kokhba War. As with all sela'im, the reverse type depicts the lulav bundle and the etrog (citron). As discussed earlier this fruit and branch combination was used at the festival of Sukkot. While the Jerusalem Temple stood, the lulav and etrog were used only on the first day of the 7-day holiday. But after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, Rabbi Johanan ben Zaki said they should be used for each of the seven days of the festival in memory of the ruined Jerusalem Temple. Thus they both symbolized the tragic past and pointed to a possible messianic future. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,965
Lot 78		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.10 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, +. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 18 (O4/R12); TJC 230a; Hendin 1387). Extremely Rare - only one specimen cited by Mildenberg. Virtually as struck. Lustrous Nearly mint state. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased privately from Antiqua at the NYINC, January 2007. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $18,880
Lot 79		Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Sela (14.44 g), 132-135 CE. Year 2 (133/4 CE). 'Jerusalem' (Paleo Hebrew), tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem; show bread table or Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs, seen from a narrow side; above façade, +. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), lulav with etrog at left. (Mildenberg 22 (O4/R15); TJC 230a; Hendin 1387). Incredibly well struck and perfectly centered. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $7,000UP Purchased from Frank Sternberg via H. Kreindler, January 10, 1996. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,750

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