ANCIENT JEWISH COINS, BAR KOKHBA, Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Silver Zuz (3.36 g), 132-135 CE. Undated, attributed to year 3 (134/5 CE). 'Simon' (Paleo-Hebrew), bunch of grapes with leaf and tendril. Rev. 'For the freedom of Jerusalem' (Paleo-Hebrew), two upright trumpets, no dot between. (Mildenberg 162 (O21/R85); TJC 277; cf. Hendin 1431 (dot between trumpets).) Portrait of Vespasian visible on reverse. Nicely toned. Extremely fine.
ex Sternberg XXXIV (22 October 1998), lot 663.
This and the next zuz lot are notable for their divergence from the preceding undated trumpet issues in that they lack the usual dot between the trumpets. The dot may not have been intended as a design element of the type, but was rather used as a centering device when the engravers cut the dies. Here, the dot has been erased on the finished die, leaving no trace on the coin whereas on other issues the dot was not removed.
Estimate: $ 800