CURIOUS NUMISMATIC JUDAICA

Tsadik Kaplan writes:

Occasionally, when I'm introduced to someone, and the person introducing me says, He writes a column in The Jewish Press about antique Judaica, I receive the response That's you?! How do you know so much? I in turn state that since I've been collecting and appraising Judaica for almost 30 years, the vast majority of what I encounter is something I've seen before. Sure, every now and then I might be shown a piece which needs a bit of research, but I've just about seen it all, including rare and unique pieces that are filed away in my brain from my library of auction catalogs and museum publications.

And yet, in my personal collection, there are three examples that have left me baffled. I am not embarrassed to reveal this; on the contrary, it is fascinating – albeit frustratingly so. I have consulted numerous experts in a variety of fields for their thoughts, and thus far have received little insight. Here they are for your enjoyment (and perhaps your help).

First up, this coin-like disc is made of a thin piece of stamped tin; it measures 22 millimeters in diameter, which is about the size of a nickel. In Hebrew it states Western Wall / ZYAA on one side, and the reverse side is blank. While the bottom four letters are almost assuredly an acronym, although the lower half of the first letter is very worn, by process of elimination I assume that it is the letter zayin, so the letters seen are of zayin, yud, ayin, and aleph, which stands for zechuto yagen aleinu amen (may his virtues protect us, amen). This is a blessing for the deceased that is added after the names of righteous people.

Coin-like pieces such as this are classified as tokens. A token is not an official government-issued coin but privately made, and is used as a substitute for money or for other purposes like advertising.

In late-19th and early-20th century Jerusalem, thin brass tokens with the Hebrew letters chet and kuf were made; these letters stand for Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society). These tokens were meant to be distributed to the poor; when carrying coffins, for beggars in the Mount of Olives cemetery, or for professional mourners – those who would participate in a minyan when saying the Kaddish during a burial. Once a quantity of tokens was accumulated, they could be exchanged for the legal tender at that time – Turkish money – at a local Jewish community office.

These Jerusalem tokens are not rare and are readily available for purchase by collectors for about $25. Is my token with the Kotel Ha Ma'aravi and the (presumed) acronym of zechuto yagen aleinu amen on it from Ottoman Empire-controlled Israel? Israel was not devastated by the destruction and loss World War II brought to the Jewish settlements of Europe, so if this was issued there, other examples would be known, especially among collectors and institutions, which they are not.

Aside from that, I acquired this from a coin dealer in France, who found it in a junk lot of various European coins and tokens, so in all likelihood, this was issued in Europe. Since the phrase on the token is associated with the departed, was it used in a similar fashion for the poor relating to burials? If so, why have Western Wall on it? Was it to express the longing of leaving exile and returning to the Land of Israel? Or is there a more substantial reason which is related to the purpose this token served? Was it used for another form of charity? When was it made? Where in Europe is it from?

The next two puzzling pieces are solid brass, each measuring 2.5 inches by 1.3 inches. I purchased both of them from one of my metal-detector enthusiast contacts in Ukraine about 15 years ago. Unlike the aforementioned small, thin token made of stamped tin, these brass examples are large, thick and heavy, and well-cast with much detail seen.

One side shows a pair of lions flanking a representation of the Ten Commandments, topped by a crown. A crown above a pair of lions flanking the Ten Commandments is commonly found on all kinds of Judaica, referred to as a Crown of Torah above Lions of Judah. On the Torah ark curtain of your local synagogue, you will see this imagery.

The reverse side of the first piece shown depicts the astrological sign for the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, which is Scorpio. The word Cheshvan is at bottom; however, it is spelled in an uncommon way, which is with two of the letter vav instead of what is usually seen, which is one vav. This is not troublesome, but what does rankle me is that the final Hebrew letter in Cheshvan was not done properly: It should look like a nun sofit, but it appears as a chaf sofit. Why go through the trouble to make an intricate design in wax, sand-cast it to produce this medallion, and not have the Hebrew lettering be perfect? Was this executed by someone not familiar with Hebrew?

The reverse side of the second piece has the verse Come let us sing to the L-rd, let us make a noise to the rock of His salvation (Psalms 25:1), which is recited at the start of prayers in the synagogue on Friday night. For this example, all the Hebrew lettering is competently done.

Each of these medallions has integral loops, indicating they were meant to hang from someone, or something. In my opinion, they are much too heavy to wear around the neck. But then to hang from where – on a loop for your belt? What is the purpose of an astrological sign for one, and a well-known verse from Psalms on the other? As an amulet of sorts?

For the enormous Christian population in Galicia (which includes much of present-day Ukraine), mass quantities of metal pendants featuring figures and text related to that religion were produced from the 18th century onward; I can't help but think that these medallions were an attempt to financially capitalize on that, for the substantial Jewish population of Galicia, which may explain the ineptitude in Cheshvan, as it could have been produced by a gentile.

How old are these? The styling of the lions, tablets, and crown indicate an era of manufacture of somewhere between 1870 and 1910. There is a rich buildup of patina that suggests they were indeed buried in the ground for many decades, as the encrustation of the dirt appears natural, as do the smooth surfaces which indicate wear. However, patina can be faked…

Since I have not been able to locate similar examples to these medallions, nor to determine any sort of feasible purpose for them, I cannot dismiss the possibility that they are not authentic antiques, but instead are fantasy pieces, which is a type of forgery. Typically, a fantasy piece is a hodgepodge of two or more styles of what are found on old items which have been combined into a new item that never existed – except in the mind of the person making it – and are created for the express purpose of fooling an enthusiastic buyer (me?).

Will this public airing of hopelessness lead to any definitive answers? Only time will tell!

To read the online article, see:
No, I Don't Know Everything (https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/no-i-dont-know-everything/2025/07/04/)

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