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What is Money?
        MON'EY
     Commerce, in its most primitive state, is a mere bartering, one kind of goods being exchanged for another. The next stage in commercial development is the invention of a common means of exchange, the establishment of the precious metals - gold and silver - as standards of value, the employment of money. This money, however, was not coined. It was simply the metal itself, kept in ingots, rings, etc., and used according to its weight, and when, in the period before the Captivity, the O.T. speaks of money - pieces of gold and silver, shekels, mina, talent, etc. - a certain weight of precious metal is meant thereby, and nothing more. Coined money does not occur among the Jews until after the Captivity, but then we meet successively with Persian, Greek, Syrian, Roman, and national Shekel. Ascribed to Simon Maccabseus. Jewish coins. The first Jewish coins were struck by Simon Maccabaeus, who, about b.c. 139, obtained permission to coin money from the Syrian king Antiochus VII. Shekels, half-shekels, etc., of gold, silver, and copper, were struck, showing on one side a vase, perhaps representing a pot of manna, and on the other side an almond branch with three flowers, perhaps representing Aaron's staff". After this time coins were struck by the Asmonaean princes, the Idumaean kings, during the first revolt under Eleazar, and during the second under Barcochebas; and besides these national Jewish coins, foreign coins of Persian, Greek, and Roman make circulated in great multitude in Palestine. Of these latter the following are mentioned in the Bible. Golden Daric. The daric, dram, or drachm, Ezr 2:69, is a Persian gold coin equal to about five dollars and fifty cents. The stater or piece of money, Matt 17:27, a Greek or Roman silver coin (a shekel in weight), in value over fifty cents. The stater, or coined shekel, of the Jews is often found in the cabinets of antiquaries at the present day. Roman Penny, or Denarius. The penny, Matt 22:19, or denarius, a Roman silver coin equal to an Attic drachma, or about sixteen American cents. "Shilling" would be a more correct translation. Assarion (farthing). Actual size. (From specimen in British Museum.) The farthing. Matt 10:29, a Roman silver coin equal to one cent and a quarter. Another piece of money equal to one fourth of a farthing is called by the same name, Matt 5:20; and the mite, Mark 12:42, was half of this last farthing, or about two mills of our currency.


Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'money' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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