Three Kings Biblical Coins

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The Three Kings

The coins below are those of kings that ruled in the east at the time of Jesus' birth and are among the most likely to have visited baby Jesus.

"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.

Most biblical scholars now believe the "Magi" probably were wisemen, not actually kings. If they were kings, the kings below are among the most likely visitors.

Kingdom of Persis, Vahshir, c. 50 - 1 B.C.

SH06337. Silver half drachm, Alram IP 580, EF, weight 1.74 g, maximum diameter 13.3 mm, die axis 180^o, Persepolis mint, c. 50 - 1 B.C.; obverse diademed bust right; reverse king right of fire altar, Aramaic legend around; SOLD

Kingdom of Persis, Ardashir II, c. 50 - 1 B.C.

GS01368. Silver obol, Alram IP 572/75, aEF, weight 0.61 g, maximum diameter 10.6 mm, die axis 0^o, Persepolis mint, c. 50 - 1 B.C.; obverse crowned bust left; reverse king right of fire altar holding scepter, Aramaic legend around; SOLD

Kingdom of Persis, Ardashir II, c. 50 - 1 B.C.

GS01373. Silver drachm, Alram IP 570/573, aEF, weight 3.92 g, maximum diameter 25.2 mm, die axis 0^o, Persepolis mint, c. 50 - 1 B.C.; obverse crowned king right, dot within crescent and other symbols behind; reverse king right of fire altar holding scepter, Aramaic legend around; bold, high relief; SOLD

Kingdom of Persis, Vahshir, c. 50 - 1 B.C.

GS01376. Silver obol, Alram IP 584, EF, weight 0.60 g, maximum diameter 10.9 mm, die axis 135^o, Persepolis mint, 50 - 1 B.C.; obverse diademed bust left; reverse king left of fire altar holding scepter, Aramaic legend around; nicely toned; SOLD

Kingdom of Persis, Ardashir II, c. 50 - 1 B.C.

SH01424. Silver half drachm, Alram IP 571/74, aEF, weight 1.97 g, maximum diameter 17.9 mm, die axis 270^o, Persepolis mint, c. 50 - 1 B.C.; obverse crowned bust left; reverse king right of fire altar, star above monogram, Aramaic legend around; overstruck on similar type with smaller dies, scyphate flan; SOLD

Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.
	Aretas IV was the greatest of the Nabataean kings, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. Little is known of him because Nabataeans did not keep records. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:32).

GS51932. Silver drachm, Cohen 975; cf. Meshorer Nabataean 99 ff., BMC Arabia 11, SGICV 5695 (references list various dates), gF, weight 4.528 g, maximum diameter 13.7 mm, die axis 0^o, Petra mint, c. 18 - 40 A.D.; obverse Aramaic legend, "Aretas, king of Nabataea, lover of his people", laureate and draped bust of Aretas right; reverse Aramaic legend, "Shuqailat, queen of Nabataea, year [?]", jugate busts of Aretas and Shuqailat right; SOLD

Indo-Scythian Kingdom, Azes II, c. 35 - 5 B.C.
	Azes II may have been the last Indo-Scythian king in the northern Indian subcontinent (modern day Pakistan). Indo-Scythian rule crumbled under the conquests of the Kushans who expanded into India to create the Kushan Empire. R.C. Senior believes Azes II did not exist and attributes all Azes coins to Azes I.

GS57599. Silver tetradrachm, Senior 98.329T; Mitchiner IGIS 6, 8489i; Fr�hlich 274; Mitchiner ACW 2368 var (obv control letter), gVF, weight 8.974 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 45^o, obverse ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΖΟΥ, king on horseback riding right, holding whip, Kharosthi letter ti (control letter) before horse; reverse Kharosthi legend: Maharajasa rajadirajasa mahatasa Ayasa, Pallas standing right, raising right hand, spear over left shoulder and shield on left arm, monograms in left and right fields, Kharosthi letter va upper right; SOLD

Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria, Syria
	Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! Most biblical scholars believe Jesus was actually born between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C.

RP57763. Bronze semis, RPC I 4251, McAlee 202, aF, weight 7.605 g, maximum diameter 23.9 mm, die axis 0^o, Antioch mint, 5 - 4 B.C.; obverse ΚΑΣΑΡΙ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΩ ΑΠΧΙΕΡΕΙ, laureate head right; reverse ΑΙΧΙΕ/ΡΑΤΙΚΟΝ / ΑΝΤΙΟ/ΧΕΙΣ / ΖΚ, legend and date (Actian Era year 27) in five lines within wreath of an archiereus (high priest); SOLD

Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.
	Aretas IV was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. Little is known of him because Nabataea did not keep records. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:32).

GS06697. Silver drachm, BMC Arabia 12-13, aF, weight 3.97 g, maximum diameter 13.0 mm, die axis 0^o, Petra mint, c. 16 - 23 A.D.; obverse Aramaic legend, "Aretas, king of Nabataea, lover of his people", laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV with long hair right; reverse Aramaic legend, "Shuqailat, queen of Nabataea, year ?" (date off flan), veiled bust of Shaqilat right; SOLD

Roman Syria, Silanus, Legatus Augusti pro praetore, 12 - 14 A.D., The "Star of Bethlehem Coin"
	Michael Molnar, an astronomer, believes this coin depicts Jupiter's occultation of Aries in 6 B.C., the most probable "Star of Bethlehem." Click here to visit Michael Molnar's website on the star of Bethlehem theory.

RP13646. Bronze AE 20, RPC I 4269; BMC Galatia p. 159, 65, weight 7.50 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 0^o, Antioch mint, 13 - 14 A.D.; obverse Zeus' laureate head right; reverse ΕΠΙ ΣΙΛΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΩΝ, ram running right, looking back, star above, ∆M (year 44) below; SOLD

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Catalog current as of Tuesday, June 18, 2013.
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