The “extremely rare” quarter sickle, minted in AD 69, 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Credit: Miri Bar/Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Kingdom of Judea fell under Roman rule in AD 6, although resistance to Imperial rule led to a series of revolts known as 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 66 AD.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office said the coin had been “looted and smuggled through various countries and sold with a false provenance to unwitting buyers.” Credit: AP
The Romans had allowed certain local coins to be minted and distributed in parts of their empire, including Judea. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said rebel leaders slapped “Jewish motifs” on imperial coins, covering the emperor’s face. An IAA press release described this 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 was only aware of another similar quarter-shekel – a coin acquired by the British Museum in the 1930s. It believes there are “about three” others circulating on the black market.
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 item’s return as “the beginning of a very positive and important trend for the restoration of cultural heritage.”