Lot 3479

Description

Palestine, Judaea, Hasmonean king Mattathias Antigonus, (40-37 B.C.), AE 24, copper multiple (eight) prutah, (13.170 grams), obv. double cornucopiae, inscription in Hebrew, 'Mattatayah the high priest and council of the Jews', rev. wreath with inscription around BA[CI**LEW*C] ANTI**GONOU*, (S.6105, H.481 (36), AJC II U10, Meshorer 30), Off centred obverse, cleaned, very fine and rare in this condition.

The two parts of the mould slipped, leaving a void on one edge of the coin and a pronunced ridge on the other. The use by Antigonus of the priestly title in Hebrew on the obverse of this coin is significant. His enemy, Herod, could not adopt this title, utilizing only the international language, Greek, in the inscription (Money) of King Herod. The propaganda value of such weighty coins could well have been a chief raison d'etre for their issuance by Antigonus. In comparison, the coinage of Herod was thinner. It is possible that a shrewd Herod struck lighter coins of a larger diameter to fool the public.