½ Lira Half Shekel of The Temple

Features

Issuer	Israel
Issuing entity	Pièces et médailles du gouvernement israélien Corp.
Period	State of Israel (1948-date)
Type	Non-circulating coins
Years	5721-5722 (1961-1962)
Calendar	hebrajski
Value	½ Israeli Pound (½ ILP)
Currency	Pound (1960-1980)
Composition	Miedzionikiel
Weight	12 g
Diameter	30 mm
Shape	Okrągły
Technique	Frezowana
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized	1980
Number	N# 18760
References	KM# 31 Standard Catalog of World Coins (86 volumes). , ICMC# 42511306, 42512302, etc. Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (https://israelmint.com)

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Commemorative issue

Święto Purim - "Pół szekla świątyni" Automatically translated

Obverse

(en) Above, the word "Israel" in Hebrew and Arabic, and the mint year "5721" in Hebrew characters (corresponding to 1961). In the center the face value "Half Israeli Lira" in Hebrew.

Scripts: arabski, hebrajski

Lettering:
اسرائيل • ישראל • תשכ'א
חצי
לירה
ישראלית

Engravers: Gerd Rothschild (גרד רוטשילד), Zeev Lipman

Reverse

(en) A raised reproduction of an ancient silver half-shekel with beaded rim from the third year of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans 66-73 C.E. In the center of the ancient coin is a chalice. Above it are the two Paleo-Hebrew letters for "Year 3" of the revolt 68 C.E., and around it, in Paleo-Hebrew letters, the Hebrew for a Half Shekel.

Script: hebrajski

Lettering: חצי השקל שג

Engravers: Gerd Rothschild (גרד רוטשילד), Zeev Lipman

Edge

Zwykły Automatically translated

Mint

Royal Dutch Mint (Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt), Utrecht, Netherlands (1010-date)

Comments

(en) The origin of the use of the "Half-Shekel" coin is to be found in the Bible, Exodus 30:11 -1 5.
"The Lord spoke unto Moses: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel This they shall give... one half shekel The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give an offering." The tax was equal for all, rich and poor, because every person is equal before G-d. Half a Shekel and not a whole Shekel signified that a person cannot obtain completeness alone.

Today, on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar, known as "Shabbat Shekalim", the special "Shekalim" portion of the Torah is read. On the eve of Purim, the equivalent of a Half Shekel is donated in commemoration of the original Half Shekel Tax.

In the year 5721-1961, the Bank of Israel issued a special Half-Shekel coin (Half of an Israeli Lira) which was legal tender in the State of Israel. Bearing a face value of Half an Israeli Lira, it became an appropriate coin with which to perform the commandment of commemoration of the "Half-Shekel".

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Date	Mintage	XF	AU	UNC		Frequency
Undetermined
5721 (1961)	19 939	$ 9.40	$ 9.40	$ 10	(en) תשכ״א	49%
5721 (1961) מ	4 901			$ 11	(en) תשכ״א (Proof)	8%
5722 (1962)	19 890	$ 6.00	$ 6.00	$ 6.00	(en) תשכ״ב	53%
5722 (1962) מ	9 894			$ 11	(en) תשכ״ב (Proof)	11%

Values in the table above are expressed in USD. They are based on evaluations by Numista users and sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only; they are not intended to be relied upon for buying, selling or exchanging. Numista does not buy or sell coins or banknotes.

Frequencies show the percentage of Numista users who own each year or variety among all the users who own this coin. Since some users own several versions, the sum may be greater than 100%.

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This index is based on the data of Numista members collections. It ranges from 0 to 100, 0 meaning a very common coin or banknote and 100 meaning a rare coin or banknote among Numista members.