Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius)
'Whose image is this?' — the silver denarius with Caesar's portrait
Found 1900 — Known since antiquity; countless examples in museums. Relatively few Tiberius denarii have been excavated in Judea, where Tyrian and provincial silver dominated
Where Lugdunum mint (Lyon, France); circulated across the empire (France (mint); various)
Dates from 14–37 CE (Tiberius) · Roman Imperial · Ministry of Yeshua
Now at British Museum, Israel Museum and most major coin collections
Names a biblical person Tiberius Caesar
How Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius) was found
Struck at Lugdunum (Lyon) throughout Tiberius' reign. Found empire-wide in hoards; single finds in Israel are rare but include examples from Jerusalem, Masada and Galilee.
What it is
A silver denarius of about 3.8 grams with the laureate head of Tiberius and the legend TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS ('Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus'), and on the reverse a seated female figure (probably Livia as Pax) with PONTIF MAXIM. A denarius was a laborer's daily wage (Matthew 20:2).
Why it matters for the Bible
When asked about paying tax to Caesar, Yeshua called for a denarius and asked whose image and inscription it bore. The Tiberius denarius, the standard silver coin of his reign, carries both the emperor's portrait and a claim to divine descent — exactly the 'image' that made the coin offensive to many Jews and made Yeshua's answer so sharp. Some scholars think a denarius of Augustus is equally possible.
The Hebrew word: TSEH-lem
צֶלֶם
צֶלֶם is pronounced TSEH-lem and means image — Yeshua's question about whose image is on the coin echoes Genesis 1:26-27 (Strong's H6754).
People this discovery connects to
- Tiberius Caesar — טִיבֶרְיוּס קֵיסָר (Tee-BER-yus Kay-SAR) — Roman emperor 14–37 CE (G5086)
Places
- Rome — רוֹמָא (RO-ma) — Greek Rhome
Events
Question about paying tribute to Caesar · Parable of the laborers paid a denarius
Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius) in Scripture
Luke 3:1 Dates Yeshua's ministry to the fifteenth year of Tiberius, the emperor on the coin.
Questions people ask
What is Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius)?
A silver denarius of about 3.8 grams with the laureate head of Tiberius and the legend TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS ('Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus'), and on the reverse a seated female figure (probably Livia as Pax) with PONTIF MAXIM. A denarius was a laborer's daily wage (Matthew 20:2).
When was Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius) discovered?
It was found in 1900 by Known since antiquity; countless examples in museums. Relatively few Tiberius denarii have been excavated in Judea, where Tyrian and provincial silver dominated, at Lugdunum mint (Lyon, France); circulated across the empire.
Where is Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius) today?
British Museum, Israel Museum and most major coin collections.
Which Bible verses does Tribute Penny (Denarius of Tiberius) relate to?
Luke 3:1.
Related discoveries
- שְׁבִיJudaea Capta CoinsRoman coins celebrating the conquest of Judea with a weeping woman under a palm tree
- מַטְבֵּעַCoins of Pontius PilateSmall bronzes with Roman priestly symbols, minted in Jerusalem under Pilate in 29–31 CE
- שֶׁקֶלTyrian Shekel (Temple Tax Coin)The silver coin required for the half-shekel Temple tax — and the likely 'thirty pieces of silver'
- פְּרוּטָהThe Widow's Mite (Bronze Prutah / Lepton)The smallest coins in circulation — Hasmonean and Herodian bronze leptons
- טֶטְרַרְךְCoins of Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa IBronze coins of the Gospel-era Herods — Tiberias palms and Agrippa's canopy
- טֶטְרַרְךְLysanias Tetrarch Inscription (Abila)Temple dedication naming 'Lysanias the tetrarch' in the reign of Tiberius
Sources
- Hendin, Guide to Biblical Coins (5th ed., 2010); RIC I (2nd ed.) Tiberius 26–30
- Wikipedia: Tribute penny
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