Help in Identifying a "Shekel"? Solved

Intueor

Hi,
I am a coin collector and usually spend my time on the US Coin Board. I am asking your expertise on "Ancients". I have had this piece around in my collection for decades. I think it is a Shekel replica but I am not even sure if "Shekel" is the correct term. It is struck in “Medal” format, 1.5 inches or ~38mm in diameter, .0525cm thick, and 0.37oz or ~11.5gr, gold colored metal. I do not have Nitric Acid so I cannot test for gold. However:

1. 1.5in = 3.81 cm / 2 = 1.905cm
2. Volume = 1/3 × π × .0525 × (1.9052 + 1.905 × 1.905 + 1.9052) = 0.598 centimeters3
3. 0.598 cm3 = 0.37 troy ounces
4. 0.37 troy ounces = 11.5 grams of 24k gold

A volume of 24k gold to these exact dimensions does equal 0.37 ozt. This does not mean it is gold, it just may mean it was replicated to imitate gold. The hole drilled through the piece shows that it is a solid metal of a gold color and not plated. I vaguely remember that there is an old Jewish custom that, during the wedding, the groom gives the bride a ceremonial coin or medallion. Nowadays, it is a ring.

Can anyone identify this specimen?

This is a High-Resolution JPG so click on it to get a detailed image.
Please excuse my ignorance in this area of collecting. Thanks for any help

harasha

Odd in that most of the Hebrew lettering appears to be corrupted copying.

Intueor

@harasha said:
Odd in that most of the Hebrew lettering appears to be corrupted copying.

Thanks for responding. By corrupted, do you mean "nonsense", gibberish, or incorrectly formed Hebrew characters? Could the characters on the right side of the chalice be " שקל‬ ", a stylized word for "Shekel"? I have seen First Rebellion Shekels with various representations of a chalice but never one with an olive (?) branch on the other side. I wonder if this is just a "prop" type of ancient coin replica.

291fifth

I don't know anything about those but the fabric of that piece screams "not authentic." I just doesn't look like an ancient coin should look.

BillDugan1959

I don't think anybody thinks it's ancient.

The question is, is it gold? Can we know in a non-destructive way?

P.S. Joebb over on the lightside knew the answer.

Intueor

@BillDugan1959 said:
I don't think anybody thinks it's ancient.

The question is, is it gold? Can we know in a non-destructive way?

P.S. Joebb over on the lightside knew the answer.

Thanks. You are right.
I re-posted on the lightside and @joebb21 solved the mystery.
It is called a “False Shekel” and has quite a history.
He gave two links for more data:
[https://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins.pl?coin=21485]
[liderman.co.il/image.ashx?i=638741.pdf&fn=681436-Genuine%20Imitations.pdf]

@marcmoish also mentioned these have come up for auction in the past.
As to whether it is "Gold", I do not think it is but it is a good imitation.