Description

John Hyrcanus I, 135-104 BCE. Æ-Prutah, Jerusalem; 2,02 g.

A (Greek letter) above the paleo-Hebrew inscription YHW?NN HKHN HGDL W??R HYHWDYM (Yehohanan the High Priest and the Jews’ Council) within a wreath//Two cornucopiae, between them a pomegranate. Hendin no. 1132; Meshorer, Treasury 201 Group A.

Nearly very fine

Overbeck – Meshorer no. 50.

For the meaning of the wreaths which frequently appear on coins of John Hyrcanus I cf. I. Noy, The Victory wreath of Hyrcanus I., INR 7, 2012, 31-42; id., Head Decoration Representations on Images du pouvoir et fonctions des souverains Hasmonéens, Revue Biblique 2009, 368-386, esp. 374 on the two cornucopiae with a pomegranate: 'Il s'agit d'un symbole de prospérité et de fertilité agricole, associé au souverain, pour signifier que celui-ci est la garant du bien-être de son peuple.'