Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) released a video Tuesday showing an extremely rare coin, one of the first to ever be used in the nation of Israel.
The coin was recently discovered at an IAA site in the Judean Hills, which run north, west, and south of Jerusalem, the organization wrote in the caption of the video. Experts believe this is one of the first coins to ever be used in Israel, dating back to the Persian period of the 6th to 5th centuries B.C (roughly 2,700 to 2,550 years ago).
“The coin is extremely rare, joining only half a dozen coins of its type that have been found in archaeological excavations in the country. The coin was minted in a period when the use of coins had just begun,” IAA Numismatic Department head Dr. Robert Kool said. “The rare find contributes information concerning the way trade was carried out, and the process whereby global commerce moved from payment by weighing silver pieces, to the use of coins. The coin belongs to a group of very early coins that were minted outside Israel, in the regions of ancient Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.” (RELATED: The Most Incredible Biblical Discoveries Of 2023)
Acting Judean District archaeologist Semyon Gendler discovered the coin, which is believed to have been intentionally broken at some point in its history. The face is minted with a square shape, one of the earliest designs before protruding designs were developed (like we have today).
The coin is the latest in a host of incredible discoveries from Israel. In 2023, a local swimmer found a 1,800-year-old cargo shipwreck off the country’s coastline. A “magic mirror” was also uncovered by a teenager taking part in a 56-mile survival course from Mount Meron to Mount Hermon.