Biblical coins are a popular segment in the ancient coin lobby. For many it proves to be a gateway into the wider world of ancient numismatics, but most find just owning a coin mentioned in the Bible, an end in itself as a way to connect with that distant but meaningful past.
Tiberius was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. During Tiberius's reign, Jesus of Nazareth preached and was spreading the words of the Almighty to the masses. Tiberius is mentioned by name in Luke 3:1, which states that that John the Baptist began his public ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius's reign. Most New Testament references to Caesar, refer to Tiberius.
The reign of Tiberius saw many social and political changes. This was the era of Roman Empire when the subjects of the Roman emperor were giving tribute and other taxes to the Empire. This policy of taxation was questioned by many, and a revolt was rising against it. It was during these collections, Jesus was questioned '' Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?''. He replied, ''bring me a penny, that I may see it''. The money is also known as ''Render unto Caesar'' and gave his speech when the tribute penny was shown to him. Jesus asked ''Whose is the image and superscription?''. When answered that the likeness was Caesar, he replied, ''Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's (Mathew 22:20-21)
The Tribute Money, by Titan, 1516 AD, depicts Jesus being shown the tribute penny
Tiberius's Denarius, about dime-sized silver coin, was the usual daily wage of a day labourer during Christ's time on earth. The word ''peny'' seems first to appear in the handwritten Wycliffe's Bible translation of the New Testament, texts in the 1480's followed thereafter by Tyndale's 1526 New Testament. The spelling changed to ''penny'' in the later translations. Since Tiberius was Caesar during Christ's time on earth, the denarius of Tiberius is most often identified as ''The Tribute Penny''.
Coins were regularly used as a media of propaganda, and so the coin types were changed very frequently and tended to reflect the current news of the time to the subjects. Emperors who were in power for a short time issued several varieties. However, Tiberius who was Emperor for 23 years is represented by two denarii. After 15 AD, all his denarii were the same type. A large number of these coins were minted, and many thousands still exist and are in demand.
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