Obverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a fluted amphora
Reverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a vine leaf
Bronze Masada prutah in a display case, a fluted amphora, obverse facing up
Obverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a fluted amphora
Reverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a vine leaf
Bronze Masada prutah in a display case, a fluted amphora, obverse facing up

The Masada (Year Two) Bronze Prutah

Authentic OriginalAUTHENTIC ORIGINAL

Minted in Jerusalem (67-68 CE) during the Great Jewish Revolt, this bronze prutah was issued by the provisional Jewish government to declare independence from Rome. Because archaeologists recovered large hoards of this specific currency at the desert fortress of Masada, it is famously known as the "Masada Coin."

The design features a fluted amphora on the obverse and a vine leaf on the reverse, replacing Roman imperial iconography with sacred Jewish symbols. Manually struck, each coin uniquely varies in its shape and centering.

This coin is a genuine piece of daily life from the First Jewish Revolt. Owning it allows you to hold the actual currency used by the rebels who fought for Jerusalem and made their legendary final stand at Masada.

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Bronze
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The Story

In 66 CE, Jewish rebels launched the Great Revolt against the Roman Empire, establishing a provisional government in Jerusalem. To finance their military operations and assert their sovereignty, the rebel administration minted their own autonomous coins to replace circulating Roman currency.

Minted during the second year of the conflict (67–68 CE), this bronze prutah was designed as a bold declaration of independence. The administration deliberately used archaic Paleo-Hebrew script to connect their movement to the ancient, sovereign era of the First Temple. Replacing the pagan symbols of their Roman occupiers, they utilized sacred Temple motifs—an amphora and a vine leaf—and stamped the currency with the ultimate mandate of the revolution: "Freedom of Zion."

Despite fierce resistance, Jerusalem and the Second Temple fell to the Roman legions in 70 CE. Fleeing the destruction, surviving rebels retreated to the desert mountaintop fortress of Masada, carrying these "Year Two" prutot with them. They held the stronghold against a massive Roman siege until 73 CE, when the defenders famously chose mass suicide over capture and enslavement.

"Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself... let us die before we become slaves under our enemies."
— Flavius Josephus, recording the final speech at Masada (The Jewish War, 1st Century CE)

During modern archaeological excavations of Masada, significant quantities of these specific coins were recovered from the ruins of the rebel encampment. They stand today as direct, physical artifacts of the final Jewish stronghold of antiquity, embodying a fight for freedom that is still memorialized two millennia later.

Obverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a fluted amphora Reverse of bronze Masada prutah, showing a vine leaf

The Symbols

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Flanked by a Paleo-Hebrew inscription translating to "Year Two," this dual-handled vessel references the sacred ceremonial containers used for wine libations within the Second Temple.

Every coin includes a Certificate of Authenticity backed by the expertise of a government-authorized antiquities dealer.

The certificate provides documented context for the piece, featuring details such as:

  • A formal declaration guaranteeing the item as a genuine antiquity.
  • Historical background on the era, the ruler who minted the coin, and the historical climate of the time.
  • A numismatic description detailing the coin's denomination and minting dates.
  • Explanations of the specific motifs and symbols featured on the coin.
  • Translations of any relevant ancient inscriptions where applicable.

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