JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba War. 132-136 CE. Zuz = Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.82 g, 12 h), regular coinage. Uncertain mint. Undated, but attributed to Year 3 = 134/5 CE. 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍 ('Šimʿon' in Paleo-Hebrew) within a wreath composed of branches and eight almonds, tied with a medallion at the top and tendrils at the bottom. Rev. 𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 ('For the Freedom of Jerusalem' in Paleo-Hebrew) Three-stringed kithara-lyre. Bromberg I 182 (same dies). Hendin 6456 (same dies). Meshorer, AJC, 55c (same dies). Mildenberg 130 (O19/R67). Samel 2471-2472 (same dies). Shoshana I 20433-20434 (same dies). Sofaer 125. Nicely toned and with a very old pedigree. Overstruck on an Arabian drachm of Trajan. Traces of overstriking, otherwise, very fine.



The NЄP visible between 8 and 9 o’clock on the obverse shows that this zuz was overstruck on a drachm of Trajan drachm from Arabia, probably RPC III 4072-4075.