Minted in AD 69, the “extremely rare” quarter shekel is valued at more than $1 million, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which held a repatriation ceremony in New York on Monday.
An image of the coin released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Credit: Miri Bar/Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Kingdom of Judea fell to Roman control in the year 6 AD, although resistance to imperial rule led to a series of revolts known as the Judeo-Roman Wars. The coin dates from the fourth year of the First Jewish Revolt, also known as the Great Jewish Revolt, which began in AD 66.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said the piece was “looted and smuggled into multiple countries and sold with false provenance to unwitting buyers.” Credit: PA
The Romans had allowed certain local coins to be minted and circulated in certain parts of their empire, including Judea. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said rebel leaders stamped “Jewish designs” on imperial coins, covering the emperor’s face. An IAA press release described the act as “a declaration of independence by the Jews in the land of Israel, a declaration against the mighty empire that stood before them.”
The IAA said it is aware of only one other similar quarter shekel, a coin acquired by the British Museum in the 1930s. It estimates there are “about three” others circulating in the market. black.
The coin’s repatriation ceremony was attended by several senior Israeli officials, including the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan. In a statement, IAA Director Eli Eskosido described the article’s return as “the beginning of a very positive and important trend for the restoration of cultural heritage assets.”
