JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba War. 132-136 CE. Zuz = Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.06 g, 6 h), regular coinage. Uncertain mint, Year 2 = 133/4 CE. 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍 (‘Šimʿon’ in Paleo-Hebrew) Grape bunch on vine with small leaf to left. Rev. 𐤔 𐤁 𐤋𐤇𐤓 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤋 ('Year 2 of the Freedom of Israel' in Paleo-Hebrew) Palm frond curving to left. Bromberg I 147 (same dies). Hendin 6423. Meshorer, AJC, 31b (same reverse die). Mildenberg 49.11 (this coin, O10/R29). Samel 2422 (same dies). Shoshana I 20306 (same dies). Sofaer 54. Beautifully toned, sharply struck and very well preserved. Overstruck on a denarius or drachm of Trajan (?). Very minor traces of overstriking on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.



Faint traces of the undertype legend survive along the edge of the obverse between 9 and 12 o’clock. They are unfortunately too indistinct to be read, making it impossible to determine whether the undertype was a Roman denarius or a drachm. The relatively large number of surviving letters nevertheless points to a coin of Trajan, with its characteristically long legends.