The Trump - Good Vs. Evil Coin

The profiles of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump are depicted side-by-side. This pairing commemorates their political alliance, particularly their collaboration on policies concerning Israel and the recognition of Jerusalem. Their joint presence on the coin suggests a partnership of historic significance, echoing the themes presented on the reverse.

This inscription frames the central portraits. The phrase comes from one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a text that describes an apocalyptic war between the forces of good and evil. Its use casts the political and spiritual landscape as a clear-cut battle, placing the leaders and their mission on the side of Light.

* **Original language (English):** "WAR OF THE SONS OF LIGHT AGAINST THE SONS OF DARKNESS"

* **Original language (Hebrew):** "מלחמת בני אור בבני חושך"

* **Transliteration:** *Milchemet B'nei Or B'vnei Choshech*

* **Translation:** "War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness"

Behind the portraits, two national symbols are visible. On the left is the flag of the State of Israel, and on the right are the stars and stripes of the American flag. The background grounds the modern alliance in a powerful historical and biblical precedent, drawing a direct line from antiquity to the present.

This is a profile of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the ancient Achaemenid (Persian) Empire. In Jewish history, Cyrus is a revered figure because, after conquering Babylon in 539 BCE, he permitted the Jewish people to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem. This act ended the Babylonian exile and is recorded in the Hebrew Bible.

This text is a direct reference to the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible. The prophet Isaiah foretold that God would choose the non-Jewish king, Cyrus, as his "anointed" (in Hebrew, mashiach) to carry out His will by allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This inscription draws a direct parallel between Cyrus's historic role and the actions of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. Framing their modern political alliance within a narrative of biblical prophecy and divine will.

The structure depicted is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the historical center of Jewish worship and national life. Its placement on the coin alongside Cyrus the Great is deeply significant. Historically, it was Cyrus's decree that ended the Babylonian Exile and allowed the Jewish people to return and build the Second Temple on the site of the first. The image thus symbolizes the restoration of Jewish sovereignty and worship in Jerusalem, serving as the crucial historical precedent for the modern theme celebrated on the coin's obverse.

The "Half Shekel" refers to the annual tax every Jewish man was required to pay for the maintenance and sacrificial services of the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded in the Book of Exodus. This tax was a unifying institution for the Jewish people, including those living in the diaspora. The coin's designation as a "Half Shekel" is symbolic, connecting it to the ancient tradition of supporting the Temple.

* **Original language (English):** "HALF SHEKEL 2020"

* **Original language (Hebrew):** "מחצית השקל תש"פ"

* **Transliteration:** *Machatzit HaShekel, Tash"P*

* **Translation:** "The Half Shekel, 5780" (The Hebrew year תש"פ corresponds to 2019–2020).

This inscription explicitly states the coin's symbolic purpose. By identifying itself as "The Temple Coin," it reinforces its connection to the ancient Half Shekel and the legacy of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

* **Original language (Hebrew):** "מטבע המקדש"

* **Transliteration:** *Matbe'a HaMikdash*

* **Translation:** "The Temple Coin"

* **Original language (Arabic):** "عملة الهيكل"

* **Transliteration:** *Umlat al-Haykal*

* **Translation:** "The Temple Coin"

This emblem contains a crowned, winged lion, a symbol of royalty and power in ancient Persia. The inscription "PERSIAN EMPIRE" clearly links the imagery to the era of Cyrus the Great, reinforcing the historical context of his decree. The winged lion motif was prominent in the art of the Achaemenid Empire, representing majesty and divine authority.