It doesn’t happen every day, but hoards of coins are sometimes found in archaeological excavations and other places by chance. The photo below shows a small portion of the Ussfiyeh Hoard of coins now displayed in the Erezt Israel Museum, Tel Aviv University, Israel. I think Ussfiyeh is a Druze town on Mount Carmel, but I have found nothing else about the site. If a reader knows more, please share.
Ussfiyeh Hoard of Tyrian Shekels & Other Coins. Eretz Israel Museum.
The information sign with the display reads as follows:
The Ussfiyeh hoard originally contained 6000 Tyrian shekels, half-shekels and Augustaean denarii. Although Temple shekels bore pagan designs, they were accepted as Temple taxes in Jerusalem. The hoard probably represents a delivery of Temple tax intercepted and hidden away due to the events of the Jewish War which broke out in 66 C.E.
Jesus used an illustration related to a treasure found in a field.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44 ESV)
Click on the photo for a larger image suitable for use in teaching.
