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Connecting to Moments in History
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To keep myself connected to this momentous time in history,
for years, I have carried a Tyre shekel in my wallet. I know I
couldn’t prove the shekel I carry is one of the Judas shekels,
but, it could be. I know for certain others who lived and
worked in the world Judas knew have touched the coin. For me,
this direct connection to ancient history is a key fascination
I find in owning rare coins.
When holding my Tyre shekel in hand, I can’t help musing on
where the coin has traveled over time. Whose hands has it
passed through? For what purposes has it been employed? I
often imagine Julius Caesar tossing my coin to the victorious
legionnaires in Gaul as a reward. Other times I see Cleopatra
making a gift of it to a favored servant. It is even possible,
Judas received it for his historic betrayal. While there is no
way to definitively prove any of these possibilities, I am
comforted knowing they cannot be disproved either. As the
Roman Empire was in its ascendancy, the Tyre shekel was used
for all of these purposes and more, so who’s to say.
For years, I had attempted to locate a large collection of
quality Judas coins to no avail. Then, several years ago, by
fortuitous circumstance I acquired an astonishing cache of
over 160 silver Tyre shekels from a private collection. I knew
my find was remarkable, because estimates indicate less than
1% of the total Tyre shekels minted over time have even been
recovered. So, to find so many at once was a rare experience.
It was electric being in the presence of coins that had
traveled through history for more or less 2,000 years. My mind
raced as I imagined histories for these numismatic survivors.
I wondered if any had been among the thirty pieces Judas
accepted from the chief priests. It was a heady experience
that energized me for a good while, but it was one I thought
would not likely be repeated.
Recently, following a tip from a professional associate, I
came upon a sizable private cache of Tyre shekels all in a raw
uncertified state. Upon my initial inspection, the new
collection appeared even more fabulous than the first one I
had encountered years ago and I could hardly contain my
excitement. However, in order to confirm exactly what I had
acquired, I needed a qualified second opinion. I had them...
AUTHENTICATED AND CERTIFIED AS GENUINE BY THE NUMISMATIC
GUARANTY CORPORATION!Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) The world's largest rare
coin grading services was contracted to guarantee the
authenticity of these coins. Upon receipt of these coins, NGC
expressed their enthusiasm for the collection. According to
NGC, this is the largest group of Phoenician Tetradrachms that
they have ever received for certification at one time.
Following examination by their team of experts, each coin was
encapsulated within a state-of-the-art, tamper-evident holder
made from high quality inert materials. The NGC holder is the
ideal environment for long-term storage of these 2,000 year
old treasures.
 Of course, I was thrilled the coins were genuine and in good
condition, but I began to think about the importance of this
discovery. It truly is a rare opportunity to come across these
coins. I’m a full-time career professional and it has only
happened twice to me. Owning even one of these coins places a
collector among a very elite group.
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Gaius Grachhus elected Roman
tribune |
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Romans cultivate oysters |
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Romans use waterpower to mill
flour |
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Birth of Julius Caesar, first emperor of
Rome |
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Roman legions destroy Spartacus’ slave
rebellion |
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Julius Caesar invades Gaul |
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Julius Caesar invades Britain |
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Cleopatra rules Egypt and the
Nile |
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Julius Caesar elected dictator for life
&assassinated |
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Herod the Great made king of Judeaby
Romans |
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Octavian defeats Antony & Cleopatragains
rule of Roman Empire |
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Cleopatra & Marc Antony commit
suicide |
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Octavian named Caesar Augustus by Roman
Senate |
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Jesus Christ born |
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Saddles first used in Europe |
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Tiberius succeeds Caesar Augustus as Roman
emperor |
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Pontius Pilate appointed
governor |
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Jesus Christ begins ministry |
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Jesus crucified |
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Herod Agrippa appointed king of
Judea |
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Romans begin using soap |
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Emperor Claudius poisoned by wife, succeeded by
Nero |
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Fire destroys much of Rome |
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Painting on Canvas discovered |
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Romans Destroy Jerusalem |
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