1980 Israel 1/2 Sheqel coin pendant Jewish Lion of Judah Seal of Shema Jeroboam Jerusalem Tel Aviv Hebrew Haifa Rishon LeZion Petah Tikva Yiddish Bar Kochba Nazareth Star of David Palestine n001379

Israel 1/2 Sheqel {1980-1985} 101S

• Israel 1/2 Sheqel {1980-1985}
• front: Lion resembling the image of the siegelring of "Shema, servant of Jeroboam" with state emblem (menorah flanked by olive branches) above Lettering: إسرائيل ISRAEL ישראל
• Jeroboam II inaugurated the longest reign of a king of Northern Israel in 788 BCE. He ruled over a period of unparalleled prosperity, taking advantage of a lapse in strong Assyrian control of the Levant. Jeroboam’s name is preserved on a seal made of jasper that is dated paleographically to the mid-eighth century, ruling out Jeroboam I, a tenth-century king of Israel. The seal depicts a magnificent lion, realistically shown in full-throated roar with its tufted tail erect.
• Several other seals from the late Iron Age bear the title ‘bd hmlk, “servant of the king,” an indication that the ‘ebed was a high-ranking official of the kings of Israel and Judah. Biblical evidence lends further credence to this hypothesis.
• Circumstances of Discovery and Acquisition- This seal, made of jasper, was found in the Megiddo excavations of 1904; it was discovered accidentally in the excavation dump, not in a stratified level. Although the seal itself was lost en route to the Istanbul Museum, an impression cast in bronze had been made prior to its shipment. back lettering: 1/2 שקל תשמ"א
• demonetized {no longer in circulation} polished Copper-nickel coin