Ancient Rome Judaea Capta Coinage 70AD to 80AD

Bible students today are well aware of what happened in 70 AD, only a few decades after Jesus lived on Earth. Prophecies such as these were fulfilled:

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD - Isaiah 3:8

As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. - Luke 21:6

A Roman general (later emperor) named Titus squashed a Jewish revolt and Jerusalem laid in ruins. It was a crushing defeat for the Jews, but a tremendous triumph for the Romans. This coin, IVDAEA CAPTA, commemorates the Roman victory, JUDEA CAPTURED. A palm tree separates the Roman soldier from the seated female figure representing Judea.

These commemorative coins were issued bearing the likeness of emperors Vespasian (69AD to 79AD) and Titus (79AD to 81AD). They were also issued as copper sesteritus (about 25 grams), silver denarius (about 3.5 grams), and gold aureus (about 7.5 grams), with approximate catalog values like this:

BASE METAL SESTERTIUS
worn: $200 US dollars approximate catalog value
well preserved: $3000

SILVER DENARIUS
worn: $300 US dollars approximate catalog value
well preserved: $4000

GOLD AUREUS
worn: $1000 US dollars approximate catalog value
well preserved: $15000

Catalog values are pretty much meaningless for coins like these. Each coin stands on its own merits, and well-centered coins with strong strike and good eye appeal command much higher prices than off-center, corroded coins with no appeal at all. To give you and idea of the range of values, the coin in our main picture (upper left) sold for $4000 US dollars in a 2014 auction by Roma Numismatics. In contrast, the coin marked (A) in our secondary picture sold for $12000 US dollars while the coin marked (B) sold for $160 US dollars. Get the picture? Condition is everything.
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