No sooner did I get this blog up and running about Biblical Coins and there is an immediate discovery of a shekel of Tyre in Jerusalem in a recent archeological dig. What timing! The news was released 3/19/08 and I have found a number of blogs who are reporting this find. But if you read what the bloggers are saying some have misunderstood the article thinking that a half shekel was discovered… so let’s take a closer look.

If you read the article it clearly says that the coin unearthed weights 13grams. Therefore what was discovered is a full shekel. Now as I read the press release carefully they know that they have discovered a full shekel – but because they make so many references to the half shekel tax those who read the article could misunderstand exactly what type coin is being referred to.  It is the weight of the coin that clearly indicates the answer to the question of what type coin it is!

I have also seen photos of the coin but they are not clear enough to see the “KP” on the reverse side. Since the coin is being reported as from the year 20AD it should contain these letters. I dealt with the “KP” issue in the post of  3/16 /08.