' d='M0 0h21v15H0z'/%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23b)' d='M0 0h21v3H0zm0 12h21v3H0z'/%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' d='M0 3h21v9H0z'/%3E%3Cpath d='M7.575 9.25L10.5 3.985l2.925 5.265h-5.85z' stroke='%23093EC5' stroke-width='.5'/%3E%3Cpath d='M7.575 5.75l2.925 5.265 2.925-5.265h-5.85z' stroke='%23093EC5' stroke-width='.5'/%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E){kind=small}
Lot #57
$100
Lot #58
$35
Lot #59
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #60
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #61
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #63
$35
The fifth of the Hanukka coins has as its theme a Hanukkah lamp from the collection of the Bezalel National Museum in Jerusalem, an Italian…
$35
Read moreLot #64
$35
The fifth of the Hanukka coins has as its theme a Hanukkah lamp from the collection of the Bezalel National Museum in Jerusalem, an Italian…
$35
Read moreLot #65
$35
Hanukka Coin 5724-1963 The sixth of the Hanukka coins depicts a Hanukka lamp from 18th century North Africa. The original is part of the collection…
$35
Read moreLot #66
$35
Hanukka Coin 5724-1963 The sixth of the Hanukka coins depicts a Hanukka lamp from 18th century North Africa. The original is part of the collection…
$35
Read moreLot #67
$50
Hebrew seafaring was already well advanced in the time of the First and Second Temples. Jewish coins struck in the Hasmonean period bear evidence to…
$50
Read moreLot #62
Days
Hrs
Min
Sec
Lot #57
$100
Lot #58
$35
Lot #59
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #60
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #61
$35
The Menorah chosen for the first of the Hanukka coins first appeared on the coins of Mattathias Antigonus, the last of the kings of the…
$35
Read moreLot #63
$35
The fifth of the Hanukka coins has as its theme a Hanukkah lamp from the collection of the Bezalel National Museum in Jerusalem, an Italian…
$35
Read moreLot #64
$35
The fifth of the Hanukka coins has as its theme a Hanukkah lamp from the collection of the Bezalel National Museum in Jerusalem, an Italian…
$35
Read moreLot #65
$35
Hanukka Coin 5724-1963 The sixth of the Hanukka coins depicts a Hanukka lamp from 18th century North Africa. The original is part of the collection…
$35
Read moreLot #66
$35
Hanukka Coin 5724-1963 The sixth of the Hanukka coins depicts a Hanukka lamp from 18th century North Africa. The original is part of the collection…
$35
Read moreLot #67
$50
Hebrew seafaring was already well advanced in the time of the First and Second Temples. Jewish coins struck in the Hasmonean period bear evidence to…
$50
Read more
Israel - 1/2 Shekel ("Half-Shekel") Coin 5722-1962 - NGC PF 65
The origin of the use of the "Half-Shekel" coin is to be found in the Bible, Exodus 30:11 -1 5.
"The Lord spoke unto Moses: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel This they shall give… one half shekel The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give an offering." The tax was equal for all, rich and poor, because every person is equal before G-d. Half a Shekel and not a whole Shekel signified that a person cannot obtain completeness alone.
Today, on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar, known as "Shabbat Shekalim", the special "Shekalim" portion of the Torah is read. On the eve of Purim, the equivalent of a Half Shekel is donated in commemoration of the original Half Shekel Tax.
In the year 5721-1961, the Bank of Israel issued a special Half-Shekel coin (Half of an Israeli Lira) which was legal tender in the State of Israel. Bearing a face value of Half an Israeli Lira, it became an appropriate coin with which to perform the commandment of commemoration of the "Half-Shekel".
Obverse:
Above, the word "Israel" in Hebrew and Arabic, and the mint year "5722" in Hebrew characters (corresponding to 1962). In the center the face value "Half Israeli Lira" in Hebrew.
Reverse:
A raised reproduction of an ancient silver half-shekel with beaded rim from the third year of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans 66-73 C.E. In the center of the ancient coin is a chalice. Above it are the two Hebrew letters for "Year 3" of the revolt 68 C.E., and around it, in ancient Hebrew letters, the Hebrew for a Half Shekel.