Ancient Widow’s Mite / Jewish Hasmonean Coin Set in Sterling Silver Ring

Total Weight : 6.46g

Obverse : anchor with Greek inscription "Of King Alexander".

Rev: eight elongated dots around a central dot forming a star with the paleo-Hebrew inscription "Yehonatan the King".

Alexander Jannaeus as the first of the Jewish Kings to introduce the “eight-ray star” or “eight-spoked wheel” symbol in his bronze “widow’s mite” coins, in combination with the wide-spread Seleucid numismatic symbol of the anchor. These coins are thought to be the ones referred to in the Bible in Luke 21:14

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And He called unto him. His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had Depending on the make, the star symbol can be shown with straight spokes connected to the outside circle, in a style rather indicative of a wheel. On others, the spokes can have a more “flame-like” shape, more indicative of me representation of a star within a diadem.

It is not clear what the wheel or star may exactly symbolize, and interpretations vary, from the morning star to the sun or the heavens.