Never was small change as valuable as the lepton, the Hebrew term used to designate the lowest-value bronze coins that circulated in Judea during the first century BC. Because the value of these coins does not lie in their composition, but in their symbolism.
According to various historians, when the Bible refers to mite, it is referring to lepton. This coin appears in the Gospel passage in which a widow deposits some coins as alms in the temple; no one notices, except Jesus, who tells his disciples that the widow gave the most, because the rich gave what they had left over, while she gave the money she needed to live.
Thus, the coin with the least value of those collected was the most valuable to Jesus. This is because the lepton was the most insignificant coin in the entire Roman Empire, as it was worth only 1/128th of a denarius. In fact, its poor minting and wear and tear meant that the lepton was often strangely deformed, as it was rarely round.
Coin of Pontius Pilate
These coins were therefore contemporary with Jesus of Nazareth. According to various sources, they were minted by Pontius Pilate and circulated in Palestine for several years. Notably, they do not feature any effigy or human figure, but rather the staff used by Roman soothsayers, which was called a 'lituus'.
Coins mentioned in the Gospels
The Gospels mention different types of coins, both Greek and Roman. Among them is the denarius, which is mentioned up to 14 times. It is mentioned, for example, in one of the best-known parables, when the Good Samaritan pays the innkeeper two denarii to take care of the wounded man.
If you wish, you can also take a look at these 12 original and authentic coins from the time of Jesus Christ.
Each coin comes with a certificate of authenticity and is presented in a luxury album, perfect as a gift for someone who will treasure it for a lifetime.