A Critical Examination of Two Undated Prutot of the First Jewish Revolt

Abstract

Non-destructive, chemical and physical tests of undated first Jewish revolt (66–70 CE) prutot
are described and applied to two of the three known examples of this rare coin, supplementing
a numismatic evaluation. One of these coins, previously published by Hendin (2001),
also exhibits the image of a “year two” revolt coin. The third is an unpublished, irregular
example clearly overstruck on a Hasmonean prutah. The nature of these overstrikes add to the
questions about the provenance of these coins, providing insights into what microscopic and
x-ray methods of analysis can offer numismatists and archaeologists who address questions
of authenticity.