A year 5 Judean shekel is to cross the block at Heritage Auctions on August 11.
The year 5 coins were produced in AD 70, just before the Roman emperor Titus sacked Jerusalem during the first Jewish-Roman war (AD 66-73).
 The year 5 shekel was produced during the first Jewish-Roman war |
While the vast majority were brought back to Rome as bullion, this specimen was one of a number used in the final Jewish stronghold of Masada until it was sacked in AD 73.
Masada was a mountain fortress in the south east of Israel that stands around 1,000 feet above the Judean desert.
It was originally a Roman garrison, but was captured by an extreme orthodox Jewish splinter group known as the Sicarii in AD 66.
The Sicarii were named for the small daggers known as sica they used to assassinate their enemies. They acquired a reputation as masters in the art of guerrilla warfare.
When Masada was captured, close to 1,000 of the group committed ritual suicide.
The coin, graded NGF Choice VF, last sold in the 2012 auction of the Shoshanna collection of Jewish coins, when it realised $262,900.
This time around it's offered with an opening bid of $250,000-300,000.
A lesser year 5 shekel, also found in the ruins of Masada, sold for $140,000 earlier this year.
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