European interest in ancient coins started as far back as the mid-1700s and these forgeries of ancient Jewish shekels were soon pawned off to unsuspecting enthusiasts. When Darwin proposed that mankind evolved from lower life forms, rather than being created by God, new vigor entered the study of the Bible and ancient Jewish culture and, again, false coins produced tidy income for the ethically challenged. In more modern times, Jewish and Masonic influence caused false shekels to be manufactured for use as gifts and in ceremonies.
Just about all these false shekels have some type of smoking or burning urn, chalice, or censer on one side, and a leafy branch on the other, accompanied by crude Hebrew text. They are generally cast, and made of various metals including, sometimes, precious metal.
There is an excellent write-up on them at The Shekel.
Collectors seek these interesting coins today. Value depends primarily on the date of manufacture and the metallic composition. Usually an expert requires an in-person inspection to determine date and composition. The montage of coins to the right shows a silver false shekel at the top, and two base metal varieties under the silver. Very roughly:
FALSE SHEKELS IN LEAD
worn: $1 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $5
well preserved: $10
EARLY FALSE SHEKELS IN BASE METAL (Pre-1920)
worn: $5 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $15
well preserved: $30
fully uncirculated: $100
EARLY FALSE SHEKELS IN SILVER (Pre-1920)
worn: $20 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $35
well preserved: $60
fully uncirculated: $200
LATE FALSE SHEKELS (Masonic, post-1920)
worn: $1 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $2
well preserved: $4
fully uncirculated: $10
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