| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 188 Price realized: 855 CHF (Approx. 972 USD / 903 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Zuz or Denarius (Silver, 20 mm, 3.37 g, 7 h), undated, but attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). Shim'on' (in Hebrew) Bunch of grapes with three lobes hanging from branch, tendrils to left and right. Rev. 'For the Freedom of Israel' (in Hebrew) Lyre with three strings. Hendin 6462. Meshorer 274. Mildenberg 186. Somewhat rough and with flan faults, and with the usual traces of overstriking, otherwise, good very fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, acquired from Goldberg in May 2009. This coin was overstruck on a Roman denarius of Trajan, with traces of the legend still visible on the obverse. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 185 Price realized: 1,800 CHF (Approx. 2,046 USD / 1,900 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Zuz or Denarius (Silver, 20 mm, 2.94 g, 5 h), undated, but attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). 'Shim'on' (in Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'For the Freedom of Jerusalem' (in Hebrew) Kithara with three strings. Hendin 6451. Meshorer 272a. Mildenberg 94. Nicely toned. The usual traces of overstriking, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, acquired from Empire Auctions on 8 June 1997, from the collection of Virgil M. Brand (1861-1926), Part 5, 1-2 February 1984, 319, and previously privately acquired from J. Schulman in 1920. This coin was overstruck on a Roman denarius of Trajan with a mourning Dacia on the reverse (cf. RIC 98). Traces of the legends and devices are still visible on the obverse and reverse. Starting price: 250 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 187 Price realized: 1,100 CHF (Approx. 1,250 USD / 1,161 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Zuz or Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.13 g, 1 h), undated, but attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). 'Shim'on' (in Hebrew) Grape bunch on vine. Rev. 'For the Freedom of Jerusalem' (in Hebrew) Two upright trumpets; between, pellet. Hendin 6458. Meshorer 277. Mildenberg 167. The usual traces of overstriking and with a flan fault on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, privately acquired from Archaeological Center on 20 April 2014 and ex Rauch 97, 14 April 2015, 294. This coin was overstruck on a drachm of Trajan from Bostra (RPC III 4073). Traces of the legend are still visible on the obverse. Starting price: 200 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 186 Price realized: 5,500 CHF (Approx. 6,252 USD / 5,806 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Zuz or Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.13 g, 7 h), undated, but attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). 'Shimo'n' (in Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year two of the freedom of Israel' (in Hebrew) Two trumpets upright; between, pellet. Hendin 6458. Meshorer 276a. Mildenberg 90. Lightly toned and unusually sharp. The usual traces of overstriking, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, ex Heritage 3022, 15 January 2013, 26093, the Shoshana Collection, Heritage 3003, 8-9 March 2012, 20397 and from the Bromberg Collection Part I, Superior Galleries 98, 5 December 1991, 164, previously privately acquired from C. Kaufman. This con was overstruck on a denarius of Trajan. Traces of the legends and devices are still visible on the obverse and reverse. Starting price: 200 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 183 Price realized: 1,800 CHF (Approx. 2,046 USD / 1,900 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Zuz or Denarius (Silver, 17 mm, 3.16 g, 7 h), Year 2 = 133/4. 'Shim' (in Hebrew) within wreath. Rev. 'Year Two of the Freedom of Israel' (in Hebrew) Two trumpets upright. Hendin 1392. Meshorer 243. Mildenberg 23. Lightly toned. The usual traces of overstriking, otherwise, extremely fine. From the James Knox Collection of Biblical related coins, ex Heritage 3022, 15 January 2013, 26091, from the Shoshana Collection, Heritage 3003, 8-9 March 2012, 20297 and previously privately acquired from C. Kaufman. This zuz was overstruck on a drachm of Trajan von Bostra. Starting price: 200 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Auction 15 | Auction date: 1 June 2024 |
| Lot number: 154 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | |
| Lot description: JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba Revolt. 132-135 CE. Sela or Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 14.56 g, 1 h), Year 1 = 132/3. 'Jerusalem' (in Hebrew) Tetrastyle façade of the Temple of Jerusalem with fluted columns; within, the Ark of the Covenant in chest form with semicircular lid and short legs. Rev. 'Year 1 of the redemption of Jerusalem' (in Hebrew) Lulav with three projecting tips; to left, etrog. Bromberg 79. (same obverse die). Hendin 6402. Meshorer 218 (same obverse die). Mildenberg 4 (O1/R4). Shoshana I 20223 (same obverse die). Sofaer 1 (same obverse die). Of the highest rarity, apparently the fourth known example. An incredibly fresh and attractive example of this earliest and largest silver coin of Bar Kokhba, struck from an exceedingly rare reverse die. Minor roughness and with light doubling on the reverse, otherwise, good extremely fine. Even following the suppression of the initial Jewish uprising in 66-70 CE, Judaea remained a turbulent province within the Roman Empire. While the Kitos War (Kitos being a derivation of Lucius Quietus, the Roman commander-in-chief), known to the Romans as the Tumultus Iudaicus, primarily ravaged the Jewish diaspora in Cyrenaica, Egypt, Cyprus, and Mesopotamia in 115-117 CE, Judaea was also impacted when one of the Jewish leaders, named Lukuas, retreated to Lydda, where he was subsequently captured and executed by Quietus. Fifteen years later, in 132 CE, Judaea became the epicenter of a renewed Jewish revolt under the leadership of Simon bar Kokhba. Within weeks, the rebels managed to ambush substantial portions of the Roman forces in the province in minor skirmishes and gained control over larger swathes of Judaea, although Jerusalem, the capital city, remained seemingly unconquered. Simon, assuming the title 'nasi of Israel,' akin to 'Prince' or 'Leader' of Israel, likely capitalized on messianic expectations, although political and social motivations also fueled the revolt. Drawing from past conflicts and the substantial initial casualties suffered by the two legions stationed in Judaea, the Roman response was resolute. Troops were marshaled from across the Eastern regions, resulting in the deployment of between 30,000 and 50,000 soldiers to quell the rebellion. Nonetheless, it took the leadership of Sextus Julius Severus, Hadrian's finest general, to shift the tide in 134/5 CE. Simon's final stand was at Betar, where he and his remaining followers met their demise in 135 CE. The uprising left Judaea in ruins, likely resulting in Jews becoming a minority in their ancestral lands. Jerusalem was reestablished as Aelia Capitolina, a Roman colony, and the province was renamed Syria Palaestina. To suppress Jewish nationalism, Hadrian also prohibited Torah law and the Jewish calendar. Although entirely Jewish iconographically, Simon Bar Kokhba's coinage was heavily influenced by the Roman denominations circulating in the province. This was not only driven by economic factors but also because the rebels seemingly did not produce their own flans, instead overstriking their silver coins on confiscated Syrian-Phoenician tetradrachms, drachms from Bostra, and imperial denarii. The present piece is an exceedingly rare Sela or tetradrachm from the first year of the revolt, a key rarity in the entire Jewish series. Interestingly, it was struck from a flawed reverse die, lacking the third letter of the legend, a taw. Mildenberg knew only three specimens of this variety in total, making our wonderfully preserved piece the fourth known example, and quite possibly the finest. Estimate: 50000 CHF |  |
