Prutah - Alexander Jannaeus

Alexander Jannaeus was the first Hasmonean ruler to place his name on coins in both Hebrew and Greek, a calculated move that acknowledged the bilingual political reality of a kingdom caught between Hellenistic influence and Jewish tradition. His reign saw Judea expand to its greatest territorial extent since Solomon, funded in part by near-constant military campaigning. The prutot of his reign were struck in enormous quantities — arguably the most prolific bronze coinage of any Hasmonean ruler — which is why surviving examples are common despite nearly 2,100 years of attrition.

A known complication with this type: many examples were deliberately re-struck over earlier coins, leaving ghosted underlays visible on worn specimens.