AMERICAN ISRAEL NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION
"Promoting Israel, Holy Land & Judaic Numismatics Since 1967 "

2018 (for 2017 publication): Yigal Arkin

The winner of the 2018 Shekel Prize for the best work published in 2017 on the subject of Judaean, Jewish or Holy Land numismatics is Yigal Arkin, for his book “Money Time, 70 Years of Currency in Israel. Money Time tells the story of the banknotes and coins of the State of Israel over its 70 year history, from the day of the declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. The book reviews the banknotes and coins of the British Mandate period in Palestine and those issued by the State of Israel. Backgrounds are presented about the designs, along with illustrations relating to the personalities and places depicted on Israeli and pre-state paper money and coins.Read sample pages here. The other nominees were “Israel Numismatic Research” published by the Israel Numismatic Society, “The Coinage of the First Jewish Revolt against Rome” by Robert Deutsch, and Interpreting Ancient Jewish coin Symbols by Dr. Gary Fine.

2019 (for 2018 publication): Alex Abezgauz

Alex Abezgauz is the winner of the 2019 Shekel Prize Medal for “Jewish Banknotes Based on the Collection of A. Abezgauz,” compiled by О.V. Paramonov, with the participation of Alex’s son Daniel and Alex’s wife Ellen; translated from Russian by A. Burlyga. He assembled a unduplicatable collection of Jewish related banknotes and emergency currencies of Russia, some 400 or 500 items which is a major resource for the history of the Jews in Russia, principally during the Russian Revolutionary period. Alex died a few years ago and his son arranged for the collection to be published in English and Russian, with every note illustrated in color, and with a certain amount of contextual historical information.Read more here. The other worthy competitors this year were: “The Coinage of Herod Antipas” by Aaron J. Kogon and Jean-Philippe Fontanille, and “Israel Numismatic Research” published by the Israel Numismatic Society.

2020 (for 2019 publication): Dr. Donald Ariel

The winner of the coveted Shekel Prize for the best book published in 2019 on the subject of Israel, Holy Land or Judaic Numismatics is “Israel Numismatic Research,” edited by Dr. Donald Ariel and published by the Israel Numismatic Society, Dr. Haim Gitler, President. The distinguished authors of articles in the winning issue of INR run from A (Donald Ariel’s “A Second Seleucid Coin Attributed to Jerusalem,” to Z (Linda Zollschan’s “The Conclusion of the First Jewish Revolt: Interpreting IVDAEA RECEPTA.” And topics range from “Test Cuts on Philistian Sheqel /Quarters: A Case Study” by Haim Gitler and Oren Tal, to “A Rare Gold Theodor Herzl Medal” by Ira Rezak. For ordering information, visitwww.ins.org.il. Pictured is Dr. Gitler (left) presenting the Shekel Prize medal to Dr. Ariel (right)

2021 (for 2020 publication): David Jacobson

David Jacobson, Associate of the Faculty of Oriental Studies Faculty, University of Oxford, has won the Shekel Prize Medal, awarded by the American Israel Numismatic Association for “Agrippa II, the Last of the Herods” as the best 2020 publication on Judaic/Israel numismatics

Jacobson has described his attraction to the subject: "What drew me to studying the coinage of the last Herodian monarch Agrippa II, the last Herodian king in the Land of Israel were its distinctive characteristics". His coin issues are prolific, almost equalling the combined total of all the previous Herodian kings and tetrarchs. Its other striking feature was the closeness of its various coin designs to those of Roman coins.

"I quickly realised that the coinage of Agrippa II had hitherto not received adequate treatment and so decided to investigate it myself. In my first study of this coinage, I was able to show that the coin denominations reflect a move to integrate Agrippa II’s currency system with the Roman one (Israel Numismatic Journal 19 (2016), 63-75). Delving deeper, I found that I could use the era used on his coins to pinpoint the year of his death to 94/95 CE. . I hope that those interested in the Herodian kings and numismatics will wish to read my book and perhaps find answers to some of their questions.”Hitherto, the end of Agrippa’s reign had remained an unsettled question, in contention among scholars." The book is available on amazon.com.

2022 (for 2021 publication): David Hendin & Mel Wacks

The 2022 Shekel Prize is being shared by two books: "Guide to Biblical Coins, 6th Edition" by David Hendin (left) and "The Handbook of Biblical Numismatics, 45th Anniversary Edition" by Mel Wacks (right).

Hendin has revised and updated his "Guide to Biblical Coins," which is the standard reference in the field, to reflect relevant discoveries in archaeology and numismatics of ancient Israel. The metallurgy of Judean coins, symbols on Hasmonean coins, the Hasmonean coin chronology, Herodian mints, irregular issues, the Jewish War, and coin denominations are only a few of the topics that Hendin has updated. New to the sixth edition is numismatic information about the Kingdom of Adiabene, the Ituraean Kingdom, the Roman Governors of Syria, and coins with images of Old Testament stories. Many hundreds of new and improved graphics help illuminate the text. The photo plates have been expanded dramatically as have the images in the catalog and text. Includes a complete concordance between previous editions of GBC as well as other key references, elaborate end notes, an expanded bibliography, a full index, and an index of Latin inscriptions on the Judaea Capta coins.

Wacks' "Handbook of Biblical Numismatics, 45th Anniversary Edition" features over 150 coins in full color, 20 maps, over 50 Biblical quotes. and estimated coin values by Ira Goldberg. While the book is still easily read by the novice, it also contains the latest theories of experts in the field on controversial subjects like the bud (pomegranate or poppy?) appearing in between double cornucopia on Hasmonean coins, the vessel (chalice or pot of manna?) and budding plant (pomegranates or Aaron’s rod?) on First Revolt Shekels, etc. The coins mentioned in the New Testament also receive attention ― the Widow’s Mite, Tribute Penny and Thirty Pieces of Silver. Readers will also learn about the Herodian Kings of Armenia, the Jewish Princess Salome, and the connection between Cleopatra and Judaea. Appendices include Ancient Hebrew Coin Inscriptions, The Holy of Holies on Ancient Judaean Coins, Roman Tenth Legion Counterstamps, and False Shekels. Both books are available on amazon, and Wacks’ book can be read on the Newman Numismatic Portal athttps://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/600117.

2023 (for 2022 publication): Dr. Yitzhak Magen, Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky and Yoav Tzionit

The winning book "Mount Gerizim Excavations - The Coins" discusses the History of the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim and includes the corpus of coins discovered on the site dating between the Persian and Byzantine Periods. The first section, written by Dr. Yizhak Magen, Head Archaeological Officer for the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria, details the history of the Samaritans and Mt. Gerizim from the destruction of Samaria at the end of the eighth century BCE until the Byzantine period. The author discusses coins discovered at Mt. Gerizim that have helped put to rest more than a century of historical and archeological debate over research issues regarding the Samaritans. The second section, by Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky, analyzes the thousands of coins discovered at Mt. Gerizim dating from the Persian period to the Byzantine period. The author deals with several aspects of the Mt. Gerizim coins, among them chronology, typology and the study of mints. The third section was prepared by Yoav Tzionit, Senior Curator for the Archaeology Department of the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria, and includes the database of the coins from Mt. Gerizim.

2024 (for 2023 publication): Jean-Philippe Fontanille, Dr. Haim Gitler & Catharine Lorber.

The winners of the 2024 Shekel Prize are the co-authors of "The Yehud Coinage"—a comprehensive work weighing in at over 6 pounds and 832 pages. The die study was originally carried out by Jean-Philippe Fontanille, with commentary by Dr. Haim Gitler and Catharine Lorber. Gitler, Lorber and Fontanille are residents of Israel, the United Staes and Canada, respectively. The volume, published by the Israel Numismatic Society, presents a die study of the provincial silver coinage of Judah in the late Persian, Macedonian, and early Hellenistic periods, ranging from about 350 — 262 BCE. It offers precise descriptions of the coins, their designs, and their inscriptions; enumerates the obverse and reverse dies identified for each of the 44 recorded types; and explains the probable sequence of the issues as deduced from iconographic associations and die links. The iconography of the coin types is examined in depth, with comparisons to motifs in Greek, Persian, and ancient Near Eastern art, including other local coinages and sources in Judahite material culture. The monograph also analyzes data relating to the metrology, metal content, and circulation of the coinage. Overall, the study attempts to place the Yehud coinage in its historical context and to define its role in the economy of the ancient province of Judah. “The Yehud Coinage” is available on amazon.

2025 (for 2024 publication): Dr. Ira Rezak

Ira Rezak's prize-winning book "Jewry Reflected, Refracted and Recorded on Medals" is based on an exhibition of his material at New York's Center for Jewish History. The phrase "="Jewry reflected, refracted, and recorded in medals" is a compelling description of the way Jewish history, culture, and experience are represented and preserved through the art and craft of medals Reflected: Medals, tokens and Badges have been used for centuries by Jewish artists to reflect the actuality of Jewish individual and communal existence. "A Jewish Mother" by Boris Schatz offers a reflection upon Jewish values, presenting a mother in the act of tenderly raising her young child, both literally and figuratively, to be concerned for the welfare of others in the Jewish Co-mmunity, to perform the biblically commanded mitzvah of charity. Refracted: Medals are often used to honor or reward individuals who have excelled in some activity that brings credit to the Jewish people. Over their long history Jews have had to adapt themselves individually and communally as they engage with society in changing circumstances which has inevitably necessitated change, refraction of direction and method. After nearly two millennia the Jewish re-settlement of the Holy Land required new adaptations to older ways of life. The 1932 prize medal designed by Moses Murro for the Levant Fair in Tel Aviv presented such change by inventing a new iconographic logo, the flying camel, a modern version of an ancient Jewish mode of passage. Recorded: Commemoration, establishing a material record of past events and present achievements is perhaps the most common function of medallic art. Jewry, the Jewish people, have had much in their past to reflect upon, and fortunately also attainments worthy of celebration. The medal by Isidore Konti celebrating the 250th anniversary of the arrival of Jews in America records this event in a classical Beaux-Arts style. Liberty and Justice triumph over Intolerance on one side, while on the other a figure of History has inscribed on a tablet the dates 1655 and 1905 under the protection of an American eagle. The catalog was a limited edition and was only sold at the Center for Jewish History. However, it can be read at: https://www.academia.edu/129879055/Jewry_Reflected_Refracted _and_Recorded_on_Medals.