Judea, Jewish War (66–70/4), shekel dated Year 2 = 67/68 CE, minted in Jerusalem.
Av. ŠQL YSR'L (shekel of Israel) surrounding a cup used in temple worship, above the cup Š B (=year 2).
Rev. YRWŠLM HKDWŠH (Holy Jerusalem), a branch with three pomegranate fruits.
Silver, 13.47 g, 24.2 mm. Meshorer, AJC II, 8; SNG ANS 421; Hendin 659.
Condition III/II, slight traces of corrosion on the obverse; reverse very nice. The coin comes with an old certificate of authenticity from LIDERMAN in Tel Aviv.
The coin was struck with the same dies as the piece illustrated in J. Meyshan’s 1958 work *The Coins of the Herodian Dynasty* (Table 5:9). According to the list of shekel dies from the second year of the Jewish War published on the website of the Israel Numismatic Society (www.menorahcoinproject.com), the coin features a rare combination of the obverse die O9 with the occasionally occurring reverse variant R22. A similar shekel was offered at the Deutsch Sale 36 auction (October 2005), lot 87, and at the 20th New York Sale (January 7, 2009), lot 261. A rare and sought-after coin in above-average condition.
