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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Biblical Coins| ▸ |Christmas||View Options:  |  |  | 

Christmas and the Three Kings

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" Matthew 2:1-8.

Jesus was born sometime between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. Matthew describes King Herod as the ruler during the time of the Nativity, and Herod died in 4 B.C. Later, in order to kill Jesus and eliminate him as a rival king, Herod ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" - the killing of all male children in Bethlehem aged two years and under. This means that Jesus may have been up to two years old already by that time, and this also sets the Nativity between 4 and 6 B.C.

On this page we list coin that were struck at the time of Jesus' birth or which relate to his birth. Most biblical scholars now believe the "Magi" probably were wise-men, not actually kings. If they were kings, the kings on the coins below are among the most likely visitors.

Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.

|Herod| |Archelaus|, |Herod| |Archelaus,| |Ethnarch| |of| |Samaria,| |Judea,| |and| |Idumea,| |4| |B.C.| |-| |6| |A.D.||prutah|
The anchor was adopted from the Selukids, who used it to symbolize their naval strength. Anchors are often depicted upside down, as they would be seen hung on the side of a boat ready for use.

The cornucopia was a hollow animal horn used as a container. One of the most popular religious symbols of the ancient world, the cornucopia is also know as the "horn of plenty" and on coins it advertises the prosperity delivered by the king.

The caduceus is the wing-topped staff, with two snakes winding about it, carried by Hermes. According to one myth it was given to him by Apollo. The caduceus was carried by Greek heralds and ambassadors and became a Roman symbol for truce, neutrality, and noncombatant status. The Herodians were friends to Rome and the caduceus was an appropriate symbol of that relationship.
JD113038. Bronze prutah, Meshorer TJC 67a var. (legends), Hendin 6223 var. (same), RPC I 4912 var. (same), BMC Palestine -, aVF, broad flan, highlighting earthen deposits, sprue remnant, flan casting void, obv. edge beveled, weight 1.298 g, maximum diameter 16.0 mm, die axis 180o, Jerusalem mint, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.; obverse anchor, HPWΔOY (or similar, Greek: of Herod) blundered and scrambled around field; reverse EΘNAPX (Greek: Ethnarch, perhaps abbreviated EΘN above or not present), two cornucopias splayed outward, adorned with ribbons, caduceus between horns; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Antioch, Seleukis and Pieria, Syria, 128 - 129 A.D.

|Antioch|, |Antioch,| |Seleukis| |and| |Pieria,| |Syria,| |128| |-| |129| |A.D.||trichalkon|NEW
Michael Molnar, an astronomer, believes this coin depicts Jupiter's occultation of Aries in 6 B.C., the most probable "Star of Bethlehem." We think it is unlikely; nevertheless, the type is very popular and somewhat expensive.
RY114742. Bronze trichalkon, RPC Online III 3729, Butcher CRS 266, McAlee 125(d), SNG Hunterian II 2950, Choice VF, well centered, brown tone, highlighting reddish earthen deposits, weight 5.270 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, reign of Hadrian, 128 - 129 A.D.; obverse ANTIOXEΩN THC MHTPOΠOΛEWC, veiled and turreted head of Tyche right; reverse ram leaping right, looking back, star within crescent above, ET ZOP (year 177 [of the Caesarean Era]) below; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.

|Herod| |Archelaus|, |Herod| |Archelaus,| |Ethnarch| |of| |Samaria,| |Judea,| |and| |Idumea,| |4| |B.C.| |-| |6| |A.D.||prutah|NEW
The cornucopia was a hollow animal horn used as a container. One of the most popular religious symbols of the ancient world, the cornucopia is also know as the "horn of plenty."
JD114859. Bronze prutah, Meshorer TJC 68d, Sofaer 61, Hendin 6223 (S), RPC Online I 4912, F, broad flan, uneven strike with weak areas, light earthen deposits, rev. edge beveled, edge ragged with sprue and splits, weight 1.153 g, maximum diameter 15.4 mm, die axis 180o, Jerusalem mint, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.; obverse HPWΔ (Greek: of Herod), anchor; reverse two cornucopias splayed outward, adorned with ribbons, caduceus between horns, EΘN (Greek abbreviation: Ethnarch) counterclockwise from lower right with N between the horns; scarce; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Antioch, Syria

|Antioch|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.,| |Antioch,| |Syria||AE| |27|NEW
Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! Most biblical scholars believe Jesus was born between 6 and 4 B.C.
RY114023. Bronze AE 27, RPC I Online 4247a; McAlee 206b; Wruck 11; SNG Cop 141; BMC Galatia p. 166, 128 - 129, VF, oval flan, rev. off-centered, pitted surfaces with a spray of sediments, mostly on the rev., weight 12.982 g, maximum diameter 27.4 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 5 - 4 B.C.; obverse IMP•AVGVST•TR•POT, laureate head head right; reverse S C within laurel wreath with eight bunches of leaves between inner and outer linear borders; $100.00 (€94.00)
 


Antioch, Seleukis and Pieria, Syria, 128 - 129 A.D.

|Antioch|, |Antioch,| |Seleukis| |and| |Pieria,| |Syria,| |128| |-| |129| |A.D.||trichalkon|
Michael Molnar, an astronomer, believes this coin depicts Jupiter's occultation of Aries in 6 B.C., the most probable "Star of Bethlehem." We think it is unlikely; nevertheless, the type is very popular and somewhat expensive.
GB90244. Bronze trichalkon, RPC Online III 3729, Butcher CRS 266, McAlee 125(d), SNG Hunterian II 2950, F, dark near black patina, highlighting red earthen deposits, weight 5.145 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, reign of Hadrian, 128 - 129 A.D.; obverse ANTIOXEΩN THC MHTPOΠOΛEWC, veiled and turreted head of Tyche right, weak countermark at chin; reverse ram leaping right, looking back, star within crescent above, ET ZOP (year 177 [of the Caesarean Era]) below; $75.00 (€70.50)
 


Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.

|Herod| |Archelaus|, |Herod| |Archelaus,| |Ethnarch| |of| |Samaria,| |Judea,| |and| |Idumea,| |4| |B.C.| |-| |6| |A.D.||prutah|
The cornucopia was a hollow animal horn used as a container. One of the most popular religious symbols of the ancient world, the cornucopia is also know as the "horn of plenty."
JD111349. Bronze prutah, Hendin 6223 (S), Meshorer TJC 68, Sofaer 61, RPC Online I 4912, aF, well centered, earthen deposits, casting sprue remnant and cut, rev. edge beveled, weight 1.215 g, maximum diameter 14.8 mm, die axis 0o, Jerusalem mint, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.; obverse HPWΔH (Greek: of Herod) clockwise (unusual with Δ above), anchor; reverse two cornucopias splayed outward, adorned with ribbons, caduceus between horns, EΘ lower right and N above between the horns (Greek abbreviation: Ethnarch); scarce; $70.00 (€65.80)
 


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |40| |A.D.||AE| |14|
Some writers maintain that the horn of plenty should be written, in the singular, cornucopiæ, and in the plural, cornuacopiæ. U.S. English dictionaries, however, typically spell the singular, cornucopia and the plural cornucopias.
GB94739. Bronze AE 14, cf. Barkay CN 151b, Al-Qatanani 153t2, Meshorer Nabataean 76, Huth -, SNG ANS 6 -, BMC Arabia -, F, black patina, highlighting earthen deposits, tight flan squared by sprue cuts, weight 1.391 g, maximum diameter 13.7 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 4 - 3 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Aretas with long hair right, Nabataean het (Aretas) right; reverse two crossed and filleted cornucopias, caduceus or scepter in center H (het) on shaft above cross, O (ayin) on shaft below; from the Ray Nouri Collection; $38.00 (€35.72)
 


Roman Syria, Antioch, Civic Series, 11 - 12 A.D., The "Star of Bethlehem Coin"

|Christmas|, |Roman| |Syria,| |Antioch,| |Civic| |Series,| |11| |-| |12| |A.D.,| |The| |"Star| |of| |Bethlehem| |Coin"||AE| |21|
Michael Molnar, an astronomer, believes this coin depicts Jupiter's occultation of Aries in 6 B.C., the most probable "Star of Bethlehem."
RY83419. Bronze AE 21, RPC I 4266; BMC Galatia p. 159, 62; Butcher 56, VF, weight 7.711 g, maximum diameter 21.2 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 11 - 12 A.D.; obverse Zeus' laureate head right; reverse ANTIOXEΩN MHTPOΠOΛEΩN, ram running right, looking back, star above, BM (year 42) below, ANT monogram in exergue; SOLD


Judaea, Marcus Ambibulus, Roman Prefect Under Augustus, 9 - 12 A.D.

|Marcus| |Ambibulus|, |Judaea,| |Marcus| |Ambibulus,| |Roman| |Prefect| |Under| |Augustus,| |9| |-| |12| |A.D.||prutah|
Date cultivation in Judea declined after the Roman period, especially during the Crusades, and completely collapsed due to climate change around the 14th century. The Judean Date Palm fell extinct. Excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada in 1963-1965 uncovered a cache of date palm seeds preserved in an ancient jar. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the seeds were from 155 B.C. to 64 A.D. In 2005, three of the seeds were planted. Eight weeks later one of the seeds sprouted. The palm, a male, named Methuselah, was grown from the oldest known successfully germinated tree seed. After that success, additional palms from were sprouted from the seeds found at Masada. A female, Hannah, was pollinated by Methuselah and the Judean Date Palm has been recovered.
JD97325. Bronze prutah, Hendin 6358; Meshorer TJC 313; RPC I 4955; Sofaer, pl. 219, 3; BMC Palestine p. 248, 9, gVF, full inscription and date, dark green patina with lighter green highlighting deposits, reverse edge beveled, irregular flan shape with traces of pre-strike casting sprues, weight 2.240 g, maximum diameter 16.2 mm, die axis 315o, Jerusalem mint, 9 A.D.; obverse KAICAPOC (of Caesar), head of barley curved right; reverse eight-branched date palm tree, bearing two bunches of dates, L - ΛΘ (year 39) across field divided by trunk; from an Israeli collection; SOLD







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