The Half Shekel
Year 52

Coin Description

New Holy Half-Shekel for year 52


Obverse

IIn the center of the obverse is the Bezich (Golden Incense Censer) mentioned in the book of Numbers 7:14, restored in 1992 by the Temple Institute.

Above the Bezich appears the date, in ancient Hebrew letters taken from the coinage of the First Rebellion (65-70 CE); "Shin Noon Bet" standing for "Shanah 'Noon-Bet'" (52nd Year). As we have no custom of dating our coinage by foreign calenders, nor even from Creation, we took the example of our predesessors and dated our ceremonial coin from the Liberation of the Land of Israel. This year's coin, minted to be given on Purim of 2000, will open the 52nd Year celebrations of the State of Israel.

Below the Bezich appear the words "Lo Heilech Chuki" (Not Legal Tender), to satisfy the needs of the Bank of Israel Law that we are not producing a currency substitute.

The legend along the right side of the coin reads "V'Natnu Ish Kofer Nafsho L'Hashem" ("And every person shall give an atonement for their soul to G-d") [Exodus 30:12], and continues with "Machatzit Hashekel B'Shekel Hakodesh" ("Half a Shekel of the Holy Shekel") [Exodus 30:13]

The same wording appears in the ancient Hebrew script as the legend along the left side of the coin. We did this as a continuation of our ancestors' custom of retaining the ancient script on our independent coinage, even after that script has been superceded by another version, as was the case with the First and Second Rebellion coins.



Reverse

The reverse features the Nicanor Gates of the Second Temple, the 15 steps of the Levites, with the Holy Temple visable in the background, based on the scale model created by Jerusalem Mastercraftsman Catriel.

The legend across the top reads "Heasher Lo Yarbeh, V'Hadal Lo Yamit" ("The rich shall not give more, nor the poor less".) [Exodus 30:15]

The legend across the bottom reads "L'Shem Ichud Klal Yisrael" ("For the sake of the unity of the whole House of Israel") [Beged Ivri]


Diameter: 21.9 mm.
Weight: 7.778 gr.
Edge: Smooth
Alloy: Silver .999
Design: Beged Ivri
Mint: Jerusalem
Mintage: 5,000
Year: 52 (2000/2001)
Date of Issue: Purim 5760 (21st March, 2000)


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