Paleo-Hebrew Script Styles

Distinguishing between the Paleo-Hebrew script styles on Hasmonean coinage is easy most of the time, but for some coins it can be difficult. Some examples perfectly match the expected style of the type and fit neatly into one of the styles below. Some are less typical. The better you know the normal styles, the easier it becomes to identify the odd coins. The samples below are more typical examples of the named styles. Only Hasmonean prutah with the two splayed cornucopias reverse are listed here.

Also see:
Paleo-Hebrew
Reading Judean Coins

References

Hendin, D. Guide to Biblical Coins, 6th Edition. (Amphora, 2021).

Classical Style Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Classical Style Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6169 -

Hendin 6171
gVF Full <a href='view.asp?key=Inscription'>Inscription</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> 134-104 BC

gVF Full <a href='view.asp?key=Inscription'>Inscription</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> 134-104 BC

Choice gVF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I 134-104 BC <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> Full Inscription

Ch VF 5/5 4/5 Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC Prutah

Hendin 6172

Choice VF Judean Kingdom John Hyrcanus I 134 - 104 BC <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> Nice Patina

Nice VF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC AE14 Prutah

Ch VF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC AE15 Prutah

Hendin 6181
Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104-76 BC Prutah

Choice aVF Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 103-76 BC Prutah

Hendin 6185

Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> Alexander Jannaeus AE17 <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> <a href='view.asp?key=overstruck'>Overstruck</a> on Earlier Type

aVF Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus 104-76 BC <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> <a href='view.asp?key=Overstrike'>Overstrike</a> 2.597g

Wedge Style Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Wedge Style Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6168
Choice VF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC AE15 Prutah

Choice VF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC AE15 Prutah

Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC Jerusalem Mint AE14 Prutah

Hendin 6174
Judean Kingdom, John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan), 134-104 BC Prutah

aVF Judaean Kingdom John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> 134-104 B.C.

Choice VF Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC AE13 Prutah

Hendin 6178

Irregular Square Style Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Irregular Square Style Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6175
Judean <a href='view.asp?key=King'>King</a> John Hyrcanus I (Yehohanan) 134-104 BC Jerusalem Mint AE14 Prutah

Hendin 6176
Bold VF Judean Kingdom John Hyrcanus (Yehohanan) I AE14 <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> 134-104 BC

Hendin 6177

Block Style Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Block Style Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6179

VF John Hyrcanus I AE14 <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> <a href='view.asp?key=Hendin'>Hendin</a> 1133 134-104 BC Green Patina

Hendin 6180
Alexander Jannaeus Jerusalem <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> VF

VF <a href='view.asp?key=Judaea'>Judaea</a> Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104-76 BC AE16 <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> Jerusalem

Alexander Jannaeus Jerusalem <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> <a href='view.asp?key=Choice'>Choice</a> VF

Script Style Paleo Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Script Style Paleo Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6175a

Hendin 6175b

Hendin 6175c -

Hendin 6175d -

Hendin 6176a

Hendin 6176b

Cursive Style Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Cursive Style Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6182
Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104-76 BC Jerusalem Prutah

Judaean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus 103-76 BC <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> Cursive Script aVF

Highly Stylized Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin identifies the following types with Highly Stylized or Crude Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6186
Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104-76 BC Prutah

gVF Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104 - 76 BC Prutah

VF Alexander Jannaeus AE13 <a href='view.asp?key=Prutah'>Prutah</a> Clear <a href='view.asp?key=Paleo-Hebrew'>Paleo-Hebrew</a> Inscription

gVF/F Judean Kingdom Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan) 104 - 76 BC Prutah

Crude Blundered Imitative Paleo-Hebrew

Hendin lists the following types with Crude Blundered Imitative Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions:

Hendin 6187

Hendin 6188