JUDAEA, Bar Kokhba War. 132-136 CE. Zuz = Denarius (Silver, 20 mm, 2.85 g, 6 h), irregular coinage. Uncertain mint. Undated, but attributed to Year 3 = 134/5 CE. 𐤔𐤌𐤏 (‘Šimʿon’, abbreviated, in Paleo-Hebrew) within a wreath composed of branches and eight almonds, tied with tendrils at the bottom. Rev. 𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 ('For the Freedom of Jerusalem' in Paleo-Hebrew) Palm frond curving very slightly to right. Bromberg -. Hendin -. Meshorer, AJC, -, cf. 63 (longer obverse legend). Kaufman, Additions, -. Mildenberg -, cf. 221 (differing style) and 229 (same reverse die R151, but differing obverse type). Samel -. Shoshana -. Sofaer -. Unpublished and unique, a highly interesting piece. Areas of weakness, and the reverse struck slightly off center and with light doubling, otherwise, about extremely fine.



For reasons unknown to us, the wreath-and-palm type ranks among the great rarities of the irregular coinage. Mildenberg knew of only two die combinations, each represented by a single specimen (nos. 221 and 242 = Meshorer, AJC, 63). In type, our coin corresponds to Mildenberg 221, where, as here, the absence of the medallion that normally joins the two ends of the wreath is particularly striking. The style of our die, however, is markedly cruder, and it is paired with Mildenberg’s R151, which he knew only in combination with the grape-cluster obverse (no. 229, likewise known from a single specimen).