PERSIA AR SIGLOS ACHAEMENID KINGS, DARIOS I - XERXES I, 505 - 480 B.C.E.
Carradice Type II, Very Fine, 15.6mm, 5.37 grams
Obverse: Persian king or in kneeling-running stance to right, quiver over shoulder, drawing bow
Reverse: Incuse punch
A bit off center but well struck with a nice relief, details and good eye appeal!
Biblical Coin which circulated around the time of King Ahaseurus and Queen Esther of the Purim, Biblical book of Esther.
This denomination is 1/3 of a Persian Shekel. This amount is probably what Nehemia was referring to when he asked the Judaean populace for a 1/3 shekel donation for the rebuilding of the Temple precincts, i.e. 1/3 of a Persian shekel was exactly the same weight as 1/2 of a Judaean shekel, the half shekel Temple tax (Machazit HaShekel) at the time.
