As we anticipate Easter, we recall the frequent numismatic associations found in the Bible. Among the most famous of these is the Widow’s Mite from the story of a charitable widow in the New Testimate. Passages Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4 recall her sacrificial offering and Jesus’ joyful response. While a “mite” merely defines a small coin, the famous story has caused wonder as to what sort of coins she might have donated. But, the 2000 years since Jesus’ time has made this difficult to confirm.

The most widely accepted candidate is called the “lepton.” This was the smallest of the bronze coins in Jerusalem and Israel. And though it was struck during the reign of Alexander Janeus, before Jesus’ era, these coins continued in circulation at the time in which he lived. They were crudely produced with an often off-centered design and were of the lowest denomination ever minted. At the time of Jesus and this widow, the lepton had very little worth. This might emphasize Jesus’ praise for not a sum of money but the value of this woman’s character.