There are only 4 of these: A rare 2000-year-old coin was returned from the USA to Israel

An extremely rare quarter shekel coin, minted by the Jewish rebels in the Great Revolt, was returned to Israel yesterday from the USA in a state ceremony, this after it was stolen from Israel 20 years ago. One coin of this type was found in the 1930s, and three more are "circulating" illegally in the antiques market

Ziv Reinstein

13/09/2022

Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 09:45

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The "Quarter Shekel" coin from the days of the Great Revolt has been returned to Israel (Photo: Miri Bar, Antiquities Authority)

Today, the USA returned to Israel an extremely rare coin - the fourth of its kind known in the world - that was stolen from its land 20 years ago. It is a silver quarter shekel, from the fourth year of the Great Revolt, which was a declaration of independence by the Jews against the Romans.

The ceremony took place yesterday (Monday) at the Attorney General's Office of New York, in the capacity of Director of the Antiquities Authority Eli Escozido, Consul of Israel in New York Assaf Zamir, Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, Attorney General of Manhattan Alvin Bragg, and representative of the Department of Homeland Security of the USA, Mike Alfonso.

The rare coin, with three palm leaves on it and around it the inscription "Quarter Shekel" (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority)

A floral wreath with the letter D in the center.

Denoting the fourth year of the rebellion, in which the coin was minted (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority)

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The empire granted permission to the rulers to mint coins

In the Roman period, the empire granted permission to the local rulers to mint coins, according to their importance and degree of proximity to the central government.

In the meantime, minting coins made of silver was a right that was granted in a much more limited way and only for central interests.

"On this background - the minting of silver coins by the leaders of the Great Revolt, on top of those imperial silver coins, was in fact a declaration of independence by the Jews in the Land of Israel, against the mighty empire that stood before them, and it constituted a much greater symbol than the economic value of the coin itself," explains Ilan Hadad, the supervisor of trade at the Antiquities Authority.

Coins of the quarter shekel type of the fourth year of the revolt are not known at all from archaeological excavations.

One coin of this type was found in the 30's of the last century in the hands of the British Museum, and about three more "circulate" against the law, in the antiquities market and among various collectors.

In 2002, a squad of Palestinian antiquities robbers discovered a cache of coins from the days of the Great Revolt, in the Elah Valley area, south of Mount Hebron.

Among the coins in the cache, there was a unique and extremely rare coin - 1 quarter shekel made of silver from 69 AD - a year before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

The minting of coins constituted a declaration of independence for the Jews in Israel, against the Romans (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Miri Bar)

Antiquities Authority trade supervisor Ilan Hadad with the coin (Photo: Antiquities Authority, Miri Bar)

"An important piece of history that is finally coming home"

In the years since it disappeared, the coin has been traded "under the radar", in illegal antiquities markets in Israel, Jordan and Great Britain, while the Antiquities Authority is trying to get its hands on it.

In London, original documents were forged for its export from Great Britain to the United States, and in 2017 it was suddenly offered for sale at the Heritage auction house in Denver, Colorado.

The appearance of the coin above the surface was the opening shot for a cross-continental operation by the anti-theft unit of the Antiquities Authority, in cooperation with The agents of the US Department of Homeland Security stationed permanently in Israel, and their counterparts in the US, England and Jordan.

The investigation lasted about 5 years, during which they managed to uncover the network of holders of the currency, which included illegal antiquities dealers and smugglers, who joined together to reap a significant profit Desecrates the heritage assets of the State of Israel.

The investigation in the US was carried out under the supervision of the Inspector of Investigations Afsara Iyer, by investigative analysts Daniel Hiley and Hilary Chasa, and in cooperation with the Special Agent of the US Department of Homeland Security Megan Buckley, under the supervision of the head of the antiquities trade unit, the assistant district attorney of New York, Matthew Bogdanos.

Investigative support in Israel was provided by the supervisor of the antiquities trade at the Antiquities Authority, Ilan Hadad, and the deputy director of the Robbery Prevention Unit at the Antiquities Authority, Dr. Eitan Klein.

At the official and state restitution ceremony of the coin, held last night at the New York District Attorney's office, said Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, head Antiquities Trade Unit, because "this extraordinary coin represents an important piece of history that is finally coming home.

Beyond that, it represents an extraordinary partnership between the antiquities trade unit in New York and the Israel Antiquities Authority.

This is a partnership that should serve as a model for returning looted cultural heritage around the world."

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