Silver Shekel of Tyre

This is the famous Silver Shekel, mentioned in the Bible. This coin was minted in the Phoenician city of Tyre in 92-91 BC. On the obverse we see a bust of Melkart, a Phoenician god, and the chief deity of Tyre. The reverse shows a beautiful eagle. It weighs 14.40 grams, and is a large silver coin.

The Tyrian shekel was first struck around 300 BC. The relative pure silver used made them popular as a trusted form of payment, for example as Temple tax in Jerusalem. The Shekel have been suggested as a possible candidate for the well known "30 pieces of silver" in the New Testament, but it is more likely that the 30 pieces of silver were Roman denarii. The word used in Matthew 26:15 (ἀργύρια, argyria) simply means "silver coins".

PHOENICIA, Tyre. AR Shekel. 92-91 BC. Obv: Bust of Melkart right, wearing laurel wreath, lion skin around neck. Rev: Eagle standing left on prow, palm frond in background; to left, ΕΛ (date) above club; Δ to right, Phoenician A between legs. 14.40 g. 29 mm. DCA-Tyre 84 var. (letter between legs); HGC 10, 358. Ex. Heritage Auctions; Ex. Brad Bowlin.

Видео Silver Shekel of Tyre канала The Raven Coins and Silver