The post Israel. 1985. 50 Sheqalim David Ben Gurion. 8.95g. Aluminium-Bronze. XF. C666. RI.12 appeared first on My Collection.

Design

Obverse – National emblem (Menorah flanked by olive branches) and the word Israel in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.

Reverse – Stylized palm tree with two baskets of dates, an adaptation of the palm design from ancient Judean revolt coins (circa 66–70 CE).
Date below (תשמ״ד). Denomination “50 שקלים” above.

Historical Setting

1. Late-inflation era.
   By 1984 the old sheqel had collapsed under hyperinflation. This 50-sheqalim coin was Israel’s largest circulating denomination and symbolized the currency’s last stage before reform.

2. Currency change ahead.
   In 1985 the government introduced the New Shekel, valuing 1 new = 1,000 old sheqalim — making this coin obsolete almost immediately.

3. Design continuity.
   The palm motif was so popular that it returned ten years later on the bimetallic 10 New Sheqalim (1995).

Interesting Facts

1. Largest Cu-Ni coin Israel ever circulated — a hefty 9 g for a 50-unit piece.

2. Ancient roots: the date palm is one of Israel’s seven biblical species and a symbol of resilience; Romans even used a weeping palm to depict defeated Judea on their “Judaea Capta” coins.

3. Short lived issue: minted mainly 1984–1985, withdrawn within a year of currency conversion.

4. Economic snapshot: its buying power eroded so fast that 50 sheqalim in 1984 were worth roughly one half of a New Shekel a year later.

5. Collector interest: despite its huge mintage, Uncirculated examples are less common — most saw heavy use or melting after 1985.

Approximate Value

Summary

The Israel 50 Sheqalim 1984 marks the last breath of the old sheqel before Israel’s monetary reset.
Heavy, bright, and proudly bearing the ancient Judean palm, it links modern economic turbulence with a 2,000-year-old tradition of national rebirth.

The post Israel. 1984. 50 Sheqalim. 8.90g. Aluminium-Bronze. VF. C612. RI.7 appeared first on My Collection.

Obverse:

• National emblem — the Menorah flanked by olive branches.

• The word ISRAEL in Hebrew (ישראל), Arabic (إسرائيل), and English.

• Denomination 10 NEW SHEQALIM.

Reverse:

• Palm tree with two clusters of dates, flanked by two small baskets.

• Below: the date תשנ״ה (5755 = 1995).

• The design reproduces an image from an ancient Judean coin struck during the Jewish Revolt against Rome (circa 66–70 CE).

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Historical and cultural background

1. Ancient inspiration:
   The palm tree and baskets originally appeared on bronze Jewish War coins (First Revolt) issued by Jewish rebels in Jerusalem.
   The motif represented the fertility of the Land of Israel and the date palm — one of the “seven species” of the Bible, and an emblem of national identity.

2. Message of renewal:
   By reviving this design 1,900 years later, the modern State of Israel tied its new currency directly to ancient independence and self-rule.

3. Economic milestone:
   The 10 New Sheqalim coin replaced the paper note in 1995 — marking the currency’s maturity and long-term stability after the hyperinflation years of the 1980s.

4. Modern minting breakthrough:
   It was Israel’s first circulating bimetallic coin, produced with advanced press alignment to fuse the two metals securely — still the highest denomination in daily use today.

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Interesting facts

1. Biblical species: The date palm (תמר) is one of Israel’s national plants and appears on the 1 shekel coin of the Second Temple era; Roman coins later used the same symbol to represent Judea.

2. Design echo: The baskets at the sides come from the Temple offerings — a subtle reminder of agricultural abundance.

3. Security innovation: Early minting problems led to a few off-center cores — now collectible mint errors.

4. Durability: Despite being introduced in 1995, the type remains in circulation nearly three decades later — a rare record for a bimetallic design.

5. International recognition: The palm-tree reverse was featured in the “Coins of the World” exhibition by the Royal Mint (UK) in 1997 as an example of symbolic modern numismatic art.

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Collector interest

Grade	Typical value (€)	Comment
Circulated	1 – 2 €	Common, still found in wallets
UNC / BU	3 – 5 €	First-year issue premium
Mint error (mis-centered core, double ring, etc.)	40 € +	Scarce and desirable

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The post Israel. British Palestine. 1927. 2 Mils. Bronze. AU. 7.79g. KM2. C043. RI.6 appeared first on My Collection.