03 January 2015

An Ancient Widow Mite Coin May be a Perfect Unique Gift for Easter or Other Holiday

-article by melaniekaren

One Easter I Gave Everyone an Authentic Widow's Mite Coin


image credit - Widow's Mite
Ancient Roman Bronze Coins by Royce Bair
Years ago on one Easter I gave everyone in my close, immediate family an authentic widow's might coin. We were all gathered around my Aunt Rosemary's dining room table getting ready to sit down for Easter dinner. I had placed a tiny Easter basket at each place setting with a unique gift nestled inside.

Once everyone opened the tiny package and learned what they were holding, It absolutely blew their minds. This unique Easter gift idea was a truly magnificent hit. I had given each person his or her very own widow's mite coin.

Everyone one kept looking at the tiny coin in the palm of their hands. They could hardly believe that they were holding one, and not one person realized these existed to this day. Each person's widow's mite immediately held a sentimental value for that person. Each person became kinda smiley and excited once he or she realized what he or she was holding was an ancient, real coin that Christ himself could have actually held also. I was thrilled to have thought of such a gift and was happy everyone liked their little coin so much.

A Biblical Coin from the Time of Christ


A Prutah Coin, A Lepton


image sources - Wikimedia cc
The two mites in the biblical story of the poor widow refers to two coins. A mite was one of the prutah coins minted under King Alexander Jannaeus, a king of Judea from 103BC to 76BC. The word prutah means "a coin of smaller value."

A lepton, meaning "small" or "thin" was the name of the actual prutah coin denomination. A lepton was the smallest denomination of currency. Therefore, think of it as today's penny or cent.

The common lepton minted under King Alexander Jannaeus is the lepton most offered to collectors today. It has the anchor on one side and a star (or sun) wheel with 8 spokes.

The lepton coin was still in circulation at the time of Christ and is, therefore, one of the "bible coins." In the story of the poor widow, the woman gave her last two leptons to the church.

Painting Titled "The Widow's Mite" by João Zeferino da Costa from 1876

image source - The Widow's Mite - In this beautiful painting we see the widow giving her last two mites to the right. In the center of the painting, we see Christ acknowledging the widow.

image credit - Opfer der armen Witwe depicting the
widow placing her 2 mites in the collection box

Widow and the Two Mites


Lesson of the Widow's Mite


Do you know the story, " The Widow and the Two Mites?" I remember learning about it more than once in Sunday school a long time ago. It was always told to us in a way so that we understood it as a lesson to always carry with us.

The story of the poor widow is found in the New Testament of the Bible. It is found in Mark 12 versus 41 - 44 and also in Luke 21 versus 21 - 24.

The story goes something like this. Jesus and his disciples are at a temple in Jerusalem. Jesus notices an older woman casting her last two coins into the collection box. Jesus calls his disciples over and tells them his observation, the story. Jesus explains that others have also donated to the temple, of whom many were rich. Those with wealth and abundance gave more monetary value to the temple, but the widow gave more, because she gave all she had.

The lesson of the widow's mite teaches that the sacrifices of the poor, which may seem minuscule or insignificant, are most meaningful to God.
click pic to see on AMAZON

Widow's Mites For Sale


Much like our coins today, there were different styles of lepton coins during their circulation. This kind, featuring the sun and anchor is one of the more common varieties.

On one side King Alexander is written in Hebrew, and on the reverse side, there is the sun wheel design with 8 spokes.

Believe it or not, widow mite coins for sale are not difficult to find.  You can easily find authentic coins alone or nestled in jewelry pieces.  In my opinion, the best place to find just the coins is eBay.  Every time I've searched eBay for any coin, I always had a great deal to see and choose from.

The pendant pictured right is currently available on Amazon by TBJE Ancient Coins. It's my top pick I'm sharing with you: Sterling Silver & Bronze Antiqued Widows Mite Coin Pendant

Please note that there are reproductions for sale.  It is not necessary to buy the reproductions!  The authentic real coins can be found for a great price (currently on eBay though and not Amazon.  What Amazon does have are a few really nice jewelry pieces with mites. - I check regularly.)

And of course, here is part of the story taken directly from the Bible:


" ...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, even all her living."

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