ATTENTION: Enclosed is a certificate of authenticity containing a detailed description of the coin and an expert's independent conclusion.
First Jewish War Prutah, Year 2 (67–68 AD), Judaea Revolt Coinage Type
Denomination: Prutah
Material: Bronze
Weight: 3.05 g
Diameter: 17 mm
Die axis: Indeterminate
Grade: Good Fine
General description:
A bronze coin issued during the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire, struck in Judaea in the second year of the First Jewish War (AD 67–68). The coin belongs to the revolutionary coinage produced by the rebel authorities of Judaea during their struggle for independence. The inscriptions were rendered in ancient Hebrew (Paleo-Hebrew) script, emphasizing ideological continuity with ancient Israelite traditions and sovereignty.
Obverse:
Amphora with broad body and narrow neck. Around, Paleo-Hebrew legend: שנת שתים (Shnat Shtayim) — “Year Two,” referring to the second year of the revolt against Roman rule.
Reverse:
Vine leaf on a branch with tendril. Around, Paleo-Hebrew inscription: חרות ציון (Herut Tzion) — “Freedom of Zion.”
Catalogue reference:
Hendin 6389.
Rarity:
According to academic rarity terminology commonly used in numismatic classification systems such as the RIC scale, this type is generally considered Common (C), as it is a relatively well-represented issue among the bronze coinage of the First Jewish War and appears regularly in museum and private collections.
Condition and patina:
The coin is preserved in Good Fine condition. The principal design elements remain visible and portions of the legends are legible. The surfaces display a natural brown archaeological patina with darker copper oxide deposits typical for ancient bronze coins recovered from burial environments. The patina appears stable and even, without evidence of aggressive modern cleaning or restoration.
This coin belongs to the coinage of the First Jewish War (AD 66–70), a major revolt of the province of Judaea against the authority of the Roman Empire. During this period the region was governed by Roman prefects and procurators appointed by the imperial administration.
The formal ruler of the empire at the time was Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (AD 37–68). However, during the revolt the Jewish rebels established their own administrative authority and began issuing autonomous coinage.
The revolutionary coinage carried strong ideological symbolism. The use of Paleo-Hebrew script and agricultural imagery — such as the amphora and vine leaf — intentionally evoked biblical traditions and symbolized the fertility of the land of Israel and the aspiration for restored national independence.
The minting of bronze prutot continued until the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, when Roman forces under the command of the future emperor Titus suppressed the revolt and destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem.