2,000 Year Old Widow's Mite NGC Certified

This coin has been certified by NGC Ancients to be authentic and, since many fakes have been produced, it is very important to have this certification. 103-76 B.C.

The Widows Mite is a genuine 2,000-year-old coin that was used in the Holy Land at the time of Jesus and is mentioned in the Bible. Due to its connection to Jesus and the Bible, it is one of the most famous ancient coins.

The story of the Widows Mite is told in Mark 12:41-44. Jesus observed people giving money to the treasury and noted that a poor widow who gave two small bronze leptons (coins known as mites) was more generous than rich men who gave more valuable coins: she did cast in all that she had, even all her living, whereas rich men gave just a fraction of their wealth.

Each coin was struck by hand by skilled craftsmen, and it was recently discovered in a secret hoard in the Holy Land. The coin was struck in bronze by Alexander Jannaeus and other Maccabean Kings. One side shows the king's name and an anchor, while the other side depicts an 8-rayed star.

Although many of the details have been lost through the centuries, this is a genuine and historic artifact from the biblical era. Hoards were often buried or hidden, because there were few safe places to keep money, especially during the Roman occupation of Judea in the early 1st century A.D. If the coins owner was killed or died unexpectedly, the hoard was often lost.

Only recently, with archaeological explorations and high-tech research, have some of these hoards been found. Most Widows Mites were destroyed 2,000 years ago to make new coins or to be melted for the metal. The few remaining coins have been untouched for 2,000 years. They once circulated in the Holy Land and may even have been held by Jesus himself!