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Coin Description, Scriptures and History of the Widow’s Mite Coin
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“The Widow's Mite”
Painting by Gustave Doré 1870
Gustave Doré (1832-1883) was one of the foremost illustrators of his time. He illustrated a huge number of classic works from the Bible through to Dante and Don Quioxte.
This Widow’s Mite print is from Doré's illustrations for The Bible. It was in his Bible illustrations that Doré was thought to have created some of his greatest work.
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Jewish History Leading up to the Widow’s Mite
These bronze prutahs were Judean coins that were minted during a portion of the inter-testamental period of Jewish history when Israel was a self-governing nation.
Israel had previously been self ruling during most of it’s Old Testament history up to the time of the Babylonian captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar in 450 BC. Israel remained under Persian rule till 330 BC when Israel was concurred by Alexander the Great and came under the Greek Hellensitic rule. Alexander’s influence introduced the Greek language and culture into Israel.
Following Alexander the Great’s death, the Hellenistic Ptolemies Dynasty who maintained the area of Egypt also ruled Israel. The Ptolemies were considerate of Jewish religious sensitivities. However, the Hellenistic Seleucid Dynasty under Antiochus took control of Israel in 198 BC, introducing atrocities aimed at the eradication of the Jewish religion. This triggered the Maccabean revolt and the 24 year war which resulted in the final independence of Israel as an independent nation in 166 BC.
The Jewish independent “Hasmonian Dynasty” ruled Israel from 142 – 63 BC, a short 79 years.
John Hyrcanus was king over Israel from 134-104 BC. During this time, he minted Israel’s first currency, known as the “Cornucopias” coins. After the death of John Hyrcanus, Alexander Janneus ruled from 103-76 BC. Under his rule, he minted the prutah which is most likely and widely believed to be the widow’s mite coin later given by the widow and noticed by Jesus Christ in the Temple. It is easy to understand that the Jews who despised the Roman occupation after 63 BC would continue to use the small prutah coin, representing Israel’s independence, well into the time of Christ.
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Equivalent Value of Biblical Coins
Periodically, people ask the question of what is the equivalent value of Biblical coins to money today.
In response, There are no equivalents. There are too many factors to consider and the supposed equivalents are bogus. Money is negotiable. For instance, a quarter today would buy 3 candy bars 40 years ago, but today, is only worth a third of a candy bar. That same quarter will buy a very nice shirt at a yard sale, but you will need 100 more quarters to buy the same shirt at a clothing store.
The closest one can get is showing what prices and wages were in historic times and compare them to today. There is a book authored by David Hendin called "prices and wages" that has some of this info.
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Lepton Prutah
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Coin Description
Leptons & Prutahs
There are two distinctive different yet similar coins referred to as “widow’s mites”. These are the smaller lepton and the larger prutahs minted under Alexander Jannaeus, King and High Priest of Israel from 103-76 BC. So what is the difference between these two yet similar coins?
The smaller leptons were the coin used by the poor widow referred to in scripture. The word “mite” is the 1611 King James Version translation for this famous coin. The original Greek used the word lepton (λεπτον). These leptons were the smallest and lowest denomination coin that circulated in Jerusalem during Christ’s lifetime. These coins were thin and carelessly and crudely struck, usually off center and in small flans. Legends are generally unreadable. Actual size of these coins were about the size of a pencil eraser. The value of the coins were based on combined weight with other coins and not on an individual coin value. They are believed to be the coins that referred to in the Biblical story of the poor widow.
Along with the small lepton was the larger prutah coin. Both the lepton and the prutah had the images of the anchor on one side and the star or wheel image on the other. These coins were often intermixed, the same as you will find pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters intermixed today. When looking through hoard quantities of these mites, one will usually find both prutahs and leptons intermixed. So while scripture references only the lepton, due to the commonalities of these two coins, both coins today are usually and commonly referred to as mites.
Coin Markings
Bronze Lepton, Obverse, anchor with (or without) solid circle around the anchor. Reverse eight ray star sometimes surrounded by writing inscriptions.
Bronze Prutah, Obverse BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (King Alexander) around anchor; reverse eight ray star (or wheel) surrounded by diadem (solid circle, sometimes looks like a wagon wheel), Hebrew inscription “Yehonatan the king” between the rays.
The ANCHOR: The anchor was adopted from the Seleucids, who used it to symbolize their naval strength. Anchors are depicted upside down, as they would be seen hung on the side of a boat ready for use.
The STAR: The star symbolize heaven
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41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Luke 12:58-59
58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
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