A Bronze Test Strike from the Bar Kokhba Revolt

Abstract

A rectangular piece of casually cut bronze, struck with a known die pair for undated Bar
Kokhba denars, is thought to be the first known test strike from the Bar Kokhba Revolt.
An explanation is proposed for the use of bronze rather than lead—the material of most
other identified ancient test strikes. The striking on a piece of scrap bronze and not on a
bronze flan suggests that during the revolt bronze and silver coins were struck at different
mints, or at least during different cycles at the same mint.