JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba War. 132-136 CE. Zuz = Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 2.92 g, 1 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) One-handled jug with fluted body to right; to right, palm frond. Bromberg I 183 (same dies). Hendin 6454 (same obverse die). Meshorer, AJC, 66 (same obverse die). Mildenberg 133 (O19/R93). Samel 2474-2475 (same dies). Shoshana I 20423-20424 (same dies). Sofaer 117 (same dies). Lustrous and fresh. Overstruck on an Arabian drachm of Trajan. Traces of overstriking and the obverse struck somewhat off center from a worn die, otherwise, good extremely fine.



On the obverse of this zuz, traces of the legends AVTO[...] at lower left and [...]ЄP T[...] above are still legible. The undertype was therefore a drachm of Trajan from Arabia, probably depicting the standing figure of Arabia. This is confirmed by the reverse, where faint traces of [...] ЄΞ ΙΖ Υ[...] can still be read between 5 and 6 o’clock. The coin was thus overstruck on RPC III 4074, dated to 113.