Why Not Silver?

From the time the first Jewish coins were minted in the holy land, up until the outbreak of the Jewish revolt, bronze coins were exclusively minted. Not a single silver or gold coin was produced. This fact begs for an explanation.

Even more wonder is on rulers like Herod the Great who was obsessed with grandeur and building magnificent projects , also Hasmonian kings like Antigonus during his battle with Herod where he used coins as a propaganda machine to rally his supporters by issuing the big Prutahs and also a coin with a Menorah, why didn't he mint silver coins which would've been a perfect tool for this purpose.

The answer to this question is believed to lie in the Tyre Shekel, the annual half Shekel tribute to the Temple every male over 20 in Israel and abroad was obliged to pay. Tyre Shekels were the only silver coin accepted by the Temple authorities since it was of pure silver. It it therefore fair to say that the Priests and Temple authorities aware that the unstable political situation in Judea may result in poor silver quality Shekels. The Temple served as a central bank in Jerusalem holding vast amounts of gold and silver, therefore Jewish Kings minting Silver Shekels thus resulting the half shekels being paid in lower silver grades and would have resulted in a direct assault on the Temple institutions and was not something Herod or the others could afford. The Temple was the epicenter of all revolts and unrest and was a play with fire.

It was the great revolt when all rational boundaries were out of the way,silver Shekels where minted for the first time.

What is in an ancient coin?

Relive the history of the small country Judea and it's people in one of the most dynamic and important periods.

Meet John Hyrcanus, son of the great Simon Maccabee, on his first Jewish independent minted coins in 135 BC. Yehochanan the high priest and council of the Jews reads his small bronze prutahs. High priests we also find on the coins of Hyrcanus' sons Aristobulus and Jannaeus as well on the last Hasmonean ruler Mattathias Antigonus on the coins minted in his three years battling with Herod the Adommite who takes over Judea.

Herod the Great, or so called great, takes over and mints his own prutahs Of King Herod. No longer high priest. Herod is no priest, he is not even allowed into the temple where only priests can walk. Herod's sons and grand sons all minted there own coins as well.

For the Freedom Of Zion proclaims the Silver Shekels minted for the first time in Jerusalem. The great revolt erupted in 66 CE and continued for 5 years with the Jewish fighters minting coins in each and every year of them.

Judea Capta, Ivdea Capta, Victory Avgvst, announce the headliners on coins of Vespasian and Titus. Finally the Jews struggling to preserve their religion and traditions against constant military and cultural incursions are gone, the Temple burned Jerusalem destroyed. Rome is celebrating.

For The Freedom of Israel reads once again the coins of Simon bar Kochba. The Bar Kochba rebels produced beautiful coins in the three years Shimon was "Nasi Yisroel" president of Israel. The revolt crushed brutally by Hadrian was the end of 300 years of Jewish coins.

These lovely little things aren't lumps of metal, the are living pieces of human history.