Mattathias Antigonus (40–37 BC) Judaea AE Prutah NGC Widow's Mite

Mattathias Antigonus Bronze Prutah — The Last Hasmonean King

This ancient Judaean bronze represents the brief rule of Mattathias Antigonus, the last king of the Hasmonean dynasty. His struggle with Herod unfolded while Rome and Parthia competed for influence in the eastern Mediterranean, giving this small coin a place in a much larger political story.

Coin Details

• Ruler: Mattathias Antigonus, also called Antigonus II
• Reign: 40–37 BC; the exact issue year is not specified
• Kingdom/region: Hasmonean Judaea
• Denomination: Prutah
• Composition: Bronze (AE)
• NGC grade: No numerical or adjectival grade is specified for this offering
• Quantity supplied: One encapsulated coin

Mattathias Antigonus and His Place in Ancient History

Mattathias sought both the kingship and the high priesthood of Judaea. Parthian support helped him take power in 40 BC, while his rival Herod turned to Rome. Their struggle therefore combined a local dynastic contest with the ambitions of two major neighboring powers.

Herod's Roman-backed forces ultimately prevailed. The capture of Jerusalem in 37 BC and the execution of Mattathias brought Hasmonean royal rule to an end. A coin issued under Mattathias marks this turning point between the Hasmonean kingdom and the Herodian dynasty that followed.

What the Coin Tells Us

Coins of the Hasmonean period use inscriptions and symbolic imagery to express political and religious identity. Mattathias's wider coinage includes Greek and Hebrew references to his authority, with different types and denominations serving as evidence for the final years of the dynasty. This listing does not promise a specific reverse, inscription or larger-denomination type.

The Widow's Mite association is broader than one ruler. NGC includes small Hasmonean bronzes from 135–37 BC among the plausible coin types behind the Gospel account of a widow's offering. That collecting tradition does not establish that an individual surviving coin was used in that event, nor does it turn the ruler's reign into a first-century AD minting date.

What You Will Receive

You will receive one ancient bronze prutah attributed to Mattathias Antigonus in an NGC Ancients holder. A particular issue year, mint, reverse design or separate NGC numerical or adjectival grade is not promised.

Stock-photo notice: The photographs are representative of the product offering. The coin supplied may differ from the pictured example in portrait style, reverse design, inscriptions, centering, toning, surface appearance and other individual characteristics while remaining within the stated coin type and any expressly stated grade.