Kenneth Bressett’s newest book, Bible Lore and the Eternal Flame, debuted at the American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show in Colorado Springs, March 10, 2022. Now the 224-page hardcover volume is available from bookstores and hobby shops nationwide, and online (including at Whitman.com). Here, Bressett discusses the book and his interest in numismatics as a sub-discipline of archaeology.

Numismatics is a study of currency that includes coins, tokens, paper money, and various other related objects. It is a subject that is of interest to coin collectors, researchers, students, and merchants, but in its purest form is a sub-discipline of archaeology similar to the investigation of materials related to commerce, including such things as pottery, jewelry, beads, metals, and barter items used by past civilizations. Studying these items has become a new source of interest and information for coin collectors who want to better understand how their treasured specimens relate to the economy and historical context of many diverse nations.

The instructive aspects of numismatics have intrigued me since 1937, when I first became aware of its potential as a teaching tool for better understanding of world history, art, and geography. Throughout the years I have researched and studied coins and trade items from various regions and time periods to provide evidence of their relation to historical events. A favorite area of examination has been linking ancient coinages to the people and events recorded in the Bible. In this endeavor, it is frequently possible to identify specific coins that are mentioned in Bible passages and better understand the meaning of those passages and their connections to actual usage of ancient forms of currency.

Traditional Biblical archaeology generally involves the study and history of Jewish and Christian peoples as recorded in the Old and New Testament and related contemporary references, such as the works of historian Flavius Josephus and the Dead Sea scrolls. Classical archaeology includes a broader consideration of the ancient world, including the Mediterranean cultures of Greece, Rome, the Mycenaeans, and Minoans. Together, they explore the ever-fascinating world of antiquity.

The use of barter and trade items, as well as coins, after the eighth century B.C. was common to many cultures, and examples of such items still exist in museums and collections to confirm, and sometimes better explain, the authenticity of ancient history. Few resources are more detailed than the accounts found in sacred writings, and thus studying the Bible accounts of coins and money is a rewarding source of information and enjoyment for many coin enthusiasts. Most collectors refer to this special interest as “Coins of the Bible,” or sometimes, “Money of the Bible.”

A typical example of how the study of coins can aid in establishing the validity of their use in ancient times can be found in the account of the coin found in the fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24–27). This is the story of how Jesus told his disciple Peter to cast a line into the water and retrieve a fish that would contain a coin sufficient in value to pay the required temple tax for both of them.

The customary tax was used for temple repairs and other religious purposes, and it was required to be paid by all Jews wherever they lived throughout the ancient world. The annual tax was one-half shekel for every man over the age of 20 (Exodus 30:13–15).

The exact value, timing, and place of this event establishes precisely the kind of coin that must have been involved. By Jewish convention, it distinctly had to be a tetradrachm, called a shekel, from the neighboring city of Tyre. Such coins are still extant today and are regularly seen in museum exhibits, collections, and the coin trade.

In Bible Lore and the Eternal Flame, in my discussion of this and similar events, there is no attempt to confirm or dispute any of the religious writings or teachings recorded in Bible passages. For many readers, these are a matter of faith or interpretation. Evidence can be provided by coins and other artifacts to establish certain facts, but these are not especially helpful for confirming traditional stories, parables, or beliefs that have been passed down through generations of faithful believers, until being recorded by learned people sometimes centuries after the actual events. Knowing that genuine artifacts still exist provides a gateway to strengthening one’s faith and provides a tangible connection to the past that can only be experienced through studying or actually seeing some of these interesting items. They are the closest thing to “time travel” that one can ever experience.

When my family was young, in the early 1960s, I sought to demonstrate the use of ancient artifacts by showing how people lived in biblical times. A favorite discussion centered on the traditional Seder meal, and the similar Last Supper of Jesus. That always brought up the subject of the elusive Holy Grail, and its meaning. To establish that ordinary drinking cups and plates were used then as now, I showed my children examples of terracotta pieces that were used by common people at that time and place.

Stories about the cup are omnipresent, as are numerous assertions about which is the original. Logically, the claims cannot all be true. Yet, it is possible to imagine the Grail based on the types of pottery and drinking vessels common at that precise time, place, and culture, giving us a fuller understanding of what everyday life was like centuries in the past.

There is no lack of information about such things. Learning about the past and people who lived centuries ago gives us a closer appreciation of how their efforts have impacted our lives. Hopefully, Bible Lore’s brief glimpse of my personal interest in numismatics and archaeology will inspire you to dig deeper into the things you find of interest in world history, the daily lives of people past, and the Bible.

WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) is asking the public to help get coins moving by using exact change when making purchases or turning them in for cash at coin recycling kiosks. You may also be able to redeem coins for cash at financial institutions, but first contact local branches about their coin redemption policies, as they may vary.

The Mint is making this request because coins are not circulating through the economy as quickly as they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cash transactions have decreased significantly since 2019, as more and more individuals have turned to performing their transactions electronically, which means that sometimes coins are not readily available where they are most needed. This is not a coin supply problem. It is a circulation problem.

There are many people who rely exclusively on cash and currency to pay for goods and services. There are also many businesses that rely on cash and currency for their day-to-day operations. These people and businesses feel a significant impact from the unavailability of coins.

As always, and especially during this challenging time, the Mint is committed to supporting our Nation’s economy and commerce through the production of circulating coinage.

Since the coin circulation problem first emerged in 2020, the Mint has asked for the public’s help in solving this problem, through communications from the Mint and as a member of the U.S. Coin Task Force. The Mint has issued press releases, distributed public service announcements, conducted social media campaigns, and amplified our content via the U.S. Coin Task Force website.