page_title: Bar Kokhba Revolt coinage
hierarchical_section_title: Bar Kokhba Revolt coinage
caption_attribution_description: English: JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. AR Zuz – Denarius (18.5mm, 3.24 g, 1h). Undated, but attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). Grape bunch on vine; “Shim‘on” in Hebrew around / Palm frond; “for the freedom of Jeru[salem]” in Hebrew around. Mildenberg 261.1 (O53/R176 – this coin); cf. Meshorer 281; cf. Hendin 1430; Bromberg 225 (same dies); Shoshana I 20442 (this coin); Sofaer –; Spaer –. VF, deeply toned, traces of undertype.
context_page_description: Bar Kokhba Revolt coinage were coins issued by the Judaean rebel state, headed by Simon Bar Kokhba, during the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Roman Empire of 132-135 CE.
  During the Revolt, large quantities of coins were issued in silver and copper with rebellious inscriptions, all being overstruck over foreign coins, when a file was used to remove the designs of the original coins, such as the portrait of the Roman Emperor. The undercoin can clearly be seen on some of the silver coins because they were not filed down so as not to lose the value of the silver. On the bronze coins it is very difficult to see the underlying coin because they were filed down before they were over-struck. In rare instances, the coin cracked when it was overstruck.
  The name "Shim'on" appears on all of the coins of the Bar Kochba Revolt except for a few types issued at the beginning of the Revolt with the name "Eleazar the Priest,". The overstruck silver shekel/tetradrachms are among the most religiously significant coins issued by the ancient Jews, because the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple is shown, with the Ark of the Covenant.
context_section_description: Bar Kokhba Revolt coinage were coins issued by the Judaean rebel state, headed by Simon Bar Kokhba, during the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Roman Empire of 132-135 CE.
  During the Revolt, large quantities of coins were issued in silver and copper with rebellious inscriptions, all being overstruck over foreign (mostly Roman) coins, when a file was used to remove the designs of the original coins, such as the portrait of the Roman Emperor. The undercoin can clearly be seen on some of the silver coins because they were not filed down so as not to lose the value of the silver. On the bronze coins it is very difficult to see the underlying coin because they were filed down before they were over-struck. In rare instances, the coin cracked when it was overstruck.
  The name "Shim'on" (likely referring to the leader of the Revolt, Shim'on (Simon) Bar Koseba) appears on all of the coins of the Bar Kochba Revolt except for a few types issued at the beginning of the Revolt with the name "Eleazar the Priest (Cohen),". The overstruck silver shekel/tetradrachms (see illustration) are among the most religiously significant coins issued by the ancient Jews, because the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple is shown, with the Ark of the Covenant. The word  "Jerusalem" was inscribed around the representation of the Temple. Beginning in the second year of issue and continuing into the final year, a star appeared above the Temple on many coins, probably in reference to Bar Kochba's nickname "Son of the Star". Agricultural symbols connected with the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, such as lulav and etrog, appear on the reverse of some of the smaller bronze coins, surrounded by a Hebrew inscription: 'Year One of the Redemption of Israel', 'Year Two of the Freedom of Israel',  or 'For the Freedom of Jerusalem'. 
  In May 2020, a coin embossed with grapes and 'Year Two of the Freedom of Israel' was found in the William Davidson Archaeological Park next to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This was only the fourth coin from this period to be found in the area, and the only Bar Kochba coin to have Jerusalem's name on it.
caption: Bar Kochba silver Zuz/Denarius,  Undated, but attributed to year 3 (134-135 CE). Obverse: the Grape bunch on vine, surrounded by the name “Shim‘on” in paleo-Hebrew. Reverse: A palm branch surrounded by the phrase "to the freedom of Jerusalem".
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