A year 5 Judean shekel has sold for $221,500 at Heritage Auctions' World's Fair of Money sale in Anaheim.  

The coin is graded NGF Choice VF.

The shekel is a stunning piece of history

It was minted while Jerusalem was under siege during the first Jewish-Roman war (AD 66-73).

Heritage explains: "The year 5 shekel ranks as likely the most storied coin in the Judaean series.

"Silver shekels dated to the fifth year were struck in the months just before Titus and his troops captured Jerusalem and burned the Temple in July of AD 70.

"It is probable that large numbers of these just-struck coins were melted down and the bullion carried back to Rome as part of the booty, which would eventually finance the Colosseum as well as other building projects."

While many of the coins were taken to Rome, a secretive sect of Jewish assassins carried the remainder (including the present lot) to the fortress of Masada.

The group were known as the Sicarii for the small daggers (called sicae) that they concealed in their cloaks.  

They made their last stand at Masada, formerly a Roman garrison, and held out for three years before they were defeated in AD 73.

Most of the survivors committed ritual suicide rather than be captured.

A 1792 Birch cent sold during the first day of the World's Fair of Money auction.

You can take a look at all our coins for sale here.

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