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ancient coins

The 2,500-year-old coin from Cyprus discovered in Ashdod (Shai Halevi/Israel Antiquities Authority)
July 26, 2026, 4:22 pm
Beach worker searching for lost items finds rare 2,500-year-old Cypriot coin
Ashdod municipal employee discovers first-known Persian-era silver-plated coin from ancient Salamis ever found in Israel, offering new clues about Mediterranean trade
By Zev Stub
A mosaic found in Huqoq depicts Samson carrying the gates of Gaza on his shoulders (Einat Ambar-Armon/IAA)
July 9, 2026, 1:33 pm
New exhibit showcases ancient Jewish village on Sea of Galilee
Huqoq exhibition in Kibbutz Ginosar features finds from 1,600-year-old northern community that flourished under Byzantine rule
By Zev Stub
A rare 2,000-year-old coin bearing the earliest known depiction of the Temple’s menorah was returned to the State of Israel on May 12, 2026, after a joint investigation by the US authorities and the Israel Antiquities Authority. (Eitan Klein/Israel Antiquities Authority)
May 14, 2026, 4:43 pm
2,000-year-old coin with earliest menorah image returned to Israel after seized in US
Joint operation also sees return of 2,500-year-old silver coin, one of two known examples in the world, as officials stress importance of international cooperation to combat looting
By Rossella Tercatin
Ilan Hadad from the Israel Antiquities Authority holds a silver shekel coin seized during an inspection at the Hizma Checkpoint north of Jerusalem in the West Bank on February 20, 2026. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
March 23, 2026, 3:43 pm
Ancient coins from Hasmonean kingdoms, Jewish revolts seized after suspected smuggling
Police say they found the artifacts last month as they inspected a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian doctor as he crossed the Hizma checkpoint north of Jerusalem into Israel
By Rossella Tercatin
Archaeologist Yiftah Shalev of the Israel Antiquities Authority holding a recently unearthed Ptolemaic coin in Jerusalem's City of David on August 20, 2025. (Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority)
August 20, 2025, 2:23 pm
Rare gold coin depicting Hellenic queen unearthed in Jerusalem dig
Coin is first of its kind to be found outside Egypt, researchers say; discovery challenges prevailing belief that Jerusalem was a poor, marginal town after First Temple razing
By ToI Staff
A bronze hoard, composed of civic coins of ‘Akko-Ptolemais, was recently found in the excavations at the Hellenistic site Khirbet el-Eika. The find was published in January 2025. (Tal Rogovski)
February 5, 2025, 3:38 pm
Hoard of coins illuminates triumphant Maccabee campaign in 2nd-century-BCE Israel
A rare intact Hellenistic estate at Khirbet el-Eika in Eastern Galilee was likely abandoned by its inhabitant as Yonatan Maccabee and his army drew nearer, new research shows
By Rossella Tercatin
During the 2018 season excavation at the Huqoq synagogue in north Israel, archaeologists uncovered a hoard of medieval coins. (Tal Rogovski)
January 22, 2025, 4:35 pm
Magnificent hoard of gold and silver coins sheds unprecedented light on medieval Israel
New research examines artifacts found in 2018 in two vessels next to the synagogue at Huqoq, in an excavation led by Prof. Jodi Magness; its findings could rewrite history books
By Rossella Tercatin
Some of a cache of newly discovered Maccabi-era coins, in an image released on December 29, 2024. (Dr. Shai Bar/ Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa)
December 29, 2024, 9:08 pm
‘Miracle’ hoard of Hasmonean coins discovered during Hanukkah in Jordan Valley dig
Haifa University team finds cache of 160 extremely rare coins – dated to 80/79 BCE, during the reign of Judah Maccabee’s grand-nephew – near Alexandrion Fortress, north of Jericho
By Gavriel Fiske
Some of the coins found buried in the foundations an ancient, destroyed Jewish building in Lod, in an image released on June 16, 2024. (Dafna Gazit/IAA)
June 16, 2024, 4:31 pm
Ancient Lod coin hoard reveals details of little-known 4th-century Jewish uprising
94 coins found in a destroyed Jewish public building were buried during the short-lived Gallus Revolt, undertaken by the Jews during a time of Roman civil war
By Gavriel Fiske
Rare silver coin dating from the Persian period (5-6th Centuries BCE), discovered in a First Temple-era house in the Judean Hills, in an image released on January 17, 2024. (Emil Aladjem/IAA)
January 17, 2024, 10:14 am
Extremely rare 2,550-year-old silver coin unearthed in Judean Hills
Stone shekel weight and ancient arrowhead also found during excavation of First Temple-era house uncovered during highway expansion
By Gavriel Fiske
A rare bronze medium denomination coin from the reign of Antigonus Mattathias II (40 BCE - 37 BCE), allegedly illegally excavated, after they were recovered from a suspect's home in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, June 7, 2023. (Israel Antiquities Authority)
June 7, 2023, 7:19 pm
Looted rare coin from last Hasmonean king seized in raid on suspected thief
IAA says coins minted under Antigonus Mattathias II rarest from period; dozens of other ancient coins from Roman to Muslim periods recovered in search of East Jerusalem home
By Michael Horovitz
A silver half shekel coin of the third year of the Great Revolt against Rome, minted in Jerusalem in 69 CE. (Israel Antiquities Authority/Tal Rogovski)
December 13, 2022, 4:45 pm
Rare silver half-shekel, minted by rebels against Rome in 69 CE, found in Jerusalem
Coin found in remains of building from the Second Temple era, was likely used to pay annual tax for worship at the site; most coins of this type are bronze
By ToI Staff
An 1,850-year-old coin bearing the image of Luna, the goddess of the moon. found off the Carmel Coast. (Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority)
July 25, 2022, 10:42 am
Moon goddess Luna rises from waves on rare ancient bronze coin found off Haifa coast
Currency minted during reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius in 2nd century CE; discovered on seabed during survey carried out by Israel Antiquities Authority’s Marine Archaeology Unit
By ToI Staff
The silver coin engraved with a cup and the caption "Israel Shekel" and the letters: Shin and Bet (the second year of the Great Revolt) (Eliyahu Yanai/City of David)
November 23, 2021, 12:52 pm
Rare silver ‘rebel coin,’ maybe minted at Temple 2,000 years ago, found in Jerusalem
Experts suggest shekel coin may have been made by priests assisting Great Revolt against Romans, using precious metal from holy site’s plentiful reserves
By ToI Staff
Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe (right) holds a 1,900-year-old coin from the Bar Kochba revolt that he will take to space, standing alongside Eli Eskosido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, August 2021. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
August 19, 2021, 8:02 pm
Israeli astronaut to take 1,900-year-old Bar Kochba revolt coin to space
As part of next year’s Rakia mission to International Space Station, Eytan Stibbe says he’ll bring along ancient artifact as a ‘symbol of Jewish history’
By Michael Bachner
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