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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.

Antioch, Seleukis and Pieria, Syria, 55 - 56 A.D.

|Decapolis,| |Arabia| |&| |Syria|, |Antioch,| |Seleukis| |and| |Pieria,| |Syria,| |55| |-| |56| |A.D.||AE| |19|
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.
RY45451. Bronze AE 19, McAlee 101; RPC I 4287; BMC Galatia p. 160, 69; SNG Cop 99 var. (no crescent), Choice gVF, weight 5.140 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, reign of Nero, legate series, 55 - 56 A.D.; obverse ANTIOXEΩN, veiled and turreted head of Tyche right; reverse EΠI KOYAΔPATOY, ram leaping right, looking back, star within crescent above, ET ΔP (year 104 of the Caesarean Era) below; this type is nicknamed "The Star of Bethlehem Coin"; SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Huldu, 9 B.C. - 15 or 16 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV| |and| |Huldu,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |15| |or| |16| |A.D.||drachm|
Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! 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 6 and 4 B.C.
SH51930. Silver drachm, Al-Qatanani 82t1 (this coin); Schmitt-Korte II 57, Meshorer Nabataean 65 var. (numeral date), Cohen Dated 973 var. (same), VF, flat strike areas, weight 4.293 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 4 - 3 B.C.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, lover of his people" (counterclockwise), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV right, with long wavy hair combed behind his ears; reverse Nabataean legend, "Huldu, queen of the Nabataeans, year six" (year spelled out, counterclockwise), veiled bust of Huldu right, flanked by Nabataean O (ayin) right and H (heth) left across lower field; very rare with year six spelled out vice the Nabataean numeral; SOLD


Parthian Empire, Phraatakes, 2 B.C. - 4 A.D.

|Parthian| |Empire|, |Parthian| |Empire,| |Phraatakes,| |2| |B.C.| |-| |4| |A.D.||drachm|
Phraataces was the son of Phrates IV and Musa, a Roman slave girl given in exchange for the Roman legionary standards lost by Crassus at Carrhae in 53 B.C., Saxa in 40 B.C. and again by Marc Anthony in 36 B.C. After sending Phrates' other sons to Rome, Musa poisoned her husband, elevating her son as successor to the Parthian throne unopposed.

Struck about the time of Jesus' birth.
SH57274. Silver drachm, Shore 319 (this coin), Sellwood 56.13, Sunrise Collection -, BMC Parthia -, SNG Cop -, aEF, toned, weight 3.845 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 0o, Mithradatkart (near Askabad, Turkmenistan) mint, 2 B.C. - 4 A.D.; obverse diademed and draped bust left, pointed beard, three diadem ends, star in crescent before, Nike flying behind crowning him with wreath; reverse degraded legend, Archer enthroned right, bow in extended right hand, fire altar behind, (Mithradatkart monogram) below bow; this is the plate coin in Fred B. Shore's Parthian Coins and History; SOLD


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

|Roman| |Syria|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.,| |Antioch,| |Syria||tetradrachm|
Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! Most biblical scholars believe Jesus was born between 6 and 4 B.C.
SL91533. Silver tetradrachm, McAlee 182; Prieur 52; RPC I 4153; BMC Galatia p. 167, 137; Cohen DCA 400, NGC F, strike 4/5, surface 2/5 (2490384-005), weight 13.664 g, maximum diameter 26.9 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 4 - 3 B.C.; obverse KAIΣAPOΣ ΣE-BAΣTOY, laureate head right; reverse ETOYΣ HK NIKHΣ (year 28 Actian Era), Tyche of Antioch seated right on rocks, turreted, holding palm branch, half-length figure of river-god Orontes swimming right below, his head turned facing, YΠA monogram and IB (12th consulship) over ANT (Antioch) monogram in the right field; from the Maxwell Hunt Collection; NGC| Lookup; SOLD


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||tetradrachm|
In 5 A.D., Agrippina the Elder married Germanicus, her second cousin; and Livilla married Drusus Julius Caesar, Tiberius' son.
RY99229. Silver tetradrachm, McAlee 187; Prieur 57; RPC I 4158; BMC Galatia p. 169, 147; SGICV 107; Cohen DCA 401, F, dark iridescent toning, weight 13.627 g, maximum diameter 25.9 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 5 - 6 A.D.; obverse KAIΣAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, Augustus laureate head right; reverse ANTIOXEΩN MHTPOΠOΛEΩΣ, Tyche seated right on rock, palm in right hand, river-god Orontes swimming right below, ΣΛ (year 36 Actian era) above, ANT (Antioch) monogram and ΔN (year 54 Caesarian era) right; SOLD


Lot of 5 Roman Procurators of Judaea Bronze Prutot, c. 15 - 62 A.D.

|Holyland| |Bulk| |Lots|, |Lot| |of| |5| |Roman| |Procurators| |of| |Judaea| |Bronze| |Prutot,| |c.| |15| |-| |62| |A.D.||Lot|
Prutot (singular: prutah) of the following Roman Procurators of Judaea are included in this lot:
- Valerius Gratus, under Tiberius, 15 - 26 A.D.
- Pontius Pilate, under Tiberius, 26 - 36 A.D.
- Antonius Felix, under Claudius and Nero, 52 - 60 A.D. (2)
- Porcius Festus, under Nero, 59 - 62 A.D.
JD97395. Bronze Lot, Lot of five prutot of Roman procurators of Judaea, 14.8 - 16.6mm, aVF or better, Jerusalem mint, c. 15 - 62 A.D.; the actual coins in the photograph, no flips or tags; SOLD


Judaea, Valerius Gratus, Roman Prefect Under Tiberius, 15 - 26 A.D.

|Valerius| |Gratus|, |Judaea,| |Valerius| |Gratus,| |Roman| |Prefect| |Under| |Tiberius,| |15| |-| |26| |A.D.||prutah|
Julia on the obverse, refers to Livia, wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius. Livia took the name Julia Augusta after Augustus died.

In the book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and its derived films, Gratus is almost killed by a tile accidentally dropped by Judah Ben-Hur. This prompts all subsequent events of the story. In the novel Gratus is portrayed as a corrupt governor who acted against Ben-Hur's family in order to enrich himself.
JD98800. Bronze prutah, Hendin 6364, Meshorer TJC 321, Sofaer pl. 219, 18; BMC Palestine p. 253, 16 & pl. XXVIII, 11; RPC I 4961, VF, well centered, enhanced patina, weight 2.158 g, maximum diameter 17.2 mm, die axis 3.15o, Jerusalem mint, 16 - 17 A.D.; obverse IOY/ΛIA (Greek: Julia = Tiberius' mother Livia) in two lines within wreath; reverse three formal lilies in bloom springing from a single base, L - Γ (year 3 of Tiberius) divided across field; SOLD


Kingdom of Persis, Ardaxsir (Artaxerxes) II, 1st Century B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Persis|, |Kingdom| |of| |Persis,| |Ardaxsir| |(Artaxerxes)| |II,| |1st| |Century| |B.C.||drachm|
The coinage of the Kings of Persis consists in individualized portraits of the rulers on the obverse, and often the rulers shown in a devotional role on the reverse, before a sacred edifice or a fire-alter. The style of the coins is often influenced by Parthian coinage, particularly in respect to the dress and the headgear of the rulers. A reverse legend in Aramaic, using the Aramaic script, gives the name of the ruler and his title (mlk': King), and often his relationship to a preceding ruler. The coin legends are written from right to left, wrapping the central scene in a counterclock-wise manner.
SH06331. Silver drachm, Alram IP 570; Klose-Müseler 4/10; Sunrise 598; BMC Arabia p. 222, 2; Tyler-Smith -, EF, weight 3.89 g, maximum diameter 22.9 mm, die axis 90o, Persepolis (Fars Province, Iran) mint, 1st Century B.C.; obverse crowned king right, dot within crescent and other symbols behind; reverse king right of fire altar holding scepter, Aramaic legend around; SOLD


Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria, Syria, 5 - 4 B.C., Legate P. Quinctilius Varus

|Roman| |Syria|, |Antioch,| |Seleucis| |and| |Pieria,| |Syria,| |5| |-| |4| |B.C.,| |Legate| |P.| |Quinctilius| |Varus||trichalkon|
Publius Quinctilius Varus was a Roman general and politician under Augustus. From 7 or 6 B.C. until 4 B.C. he governed Syria where he was known for harsh rule and high taxes. Josephus mentions the swift action of Varus in 4 B.C., against a revolt in Judaea following the death of Herod the Great. Varus occupied Jerusalem and crucified 2000 rebels. Varus is most infamous for losing three Roman legions in an ambush by Germanic tribes led by Arminius in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, at which point he took his own life. Upon hearing the news, Augustus tore his clothes, refused to cut his hair for months and, for years afterward, was heard, upon occasion, to moan, "Quinctilius Varus, give me back my Legions!" (Quintili Vare, legiones redde!).
RY94450. Bronze trichalkon, McAlee 87; Butcher 50c; RPC I 4252; SNG Cop 92; SNG Munchen 640; BMC Galatia p. 159, 59; Cohen DCA 402 (S), VF/F, dark green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, porous, scratches, slightly off center, weight 8.671 g, maximum diameter 18.6 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, legate P. Quinctilius Varus, 5 - 4 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Zeus right; reverse ANTIOXEΩ EΠI OVAPOV, Tyche of Antioch seated right on rocks, turreted, wearing chiton and peplos, palm frond in her right hand, half-length figure of river-god Orontes swimming right below, his head turned facing, ZK (Actian Era year 27) in the right field; scarce; SOLD


Judean Kingdom, Herod the Great, 37 - 4 B.C.

|Herod| |the| |Great|, |Judean| |Kingdom,| |Herod| |the| |Great,| |37| |-| |4| |B.C.||2| |prutot|
Meshorer TJC 48 and 48a are described with an open diadem but the plate coins have closed diadems. The diadems on Meshorer 49 are open. This coin appears to have an open diadem.
JD97076. Bronze 2 prutot, Meshorer TJC p. 222 & pl. 44, 49b; Hendin 6211a (S); Sofaer 18; RPC I 4905; HGC 10 654; BMC Palestine p. 223, 28 ff., VF, heavy broad flan, green patina with highlighting light earthen deposits, obverse die wear/damage, irregular edge with remnants of pre-strike casting sprues, weight 3.480 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, die axis 0o, Jerusalem mint, c. 30 B.C.; obverse HPΩΔOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ (Greek: of King Herod), cross surrounded by a open diadem; reverse dish on a tripod table, flanked by upright palm branches; scarce; SOLD




    




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