JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba War. 132-136 CE. Sela = Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 13.62 g, 12 h), regular coinage. Uncertain mint. Undated, but attributed to Year 3 = 134/5 CE. 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍 ('Šimʿon' in Paleo-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; above, wavy line. Rev. 𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 ('For the Freedom of Jerusalem' in Paleo-Hebrew) Lulav with three projecting tips; to left, etrog. Bromberg I 122 (same dies). Hendin 6441a (same dies). Meshorer, AJC, 53a (same dies). Mildenberg 92 (O17/R71). Samel 2453 (same dies). Shoshana I 20367 (same dies). Sofaer 111 (same obverse die). Fresh and attractive, a beautiful piece. Minor areas of weakness and very light traces of overstriking, otherwise, extremely fine.



This unusual reverse die is characterized by the lamed (𐤋) awkwardly inserted between the shin (𐤔) and mem (𐤌). Comparison with reverse die R70, cut by the same hand and lacking the lamed, shows that the letter was added later as a correction.