Israel discovers 1,900-year-old rare coin

JERUSALEM, Feb. 10 -- A rare 1,900-year-old coin, from the Bar Kokhba revolt period, was discovered in the southern part of Israel, said a report by the state's Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) on Sunday.

The Bar Kokhba revolt took place between 132-136, during which the Jews of the ancient Land of Israel rebelled against the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.

The coin was discovered by two tour guides on a dirt road in a nature reserve in the Lakhish region, about 20 km from the city of Kiryat Gat.

On one side of the coin appears a palm tree with seven branches and two clusters, and below it is written in ancient Hebrew "Simon" -- which stands for the name of the revolt's leader, Simon Bar Kokhba.

On the other side of the coin appears a vine leaf with a tendril, as well as the inscription that means "second year of the freedom of Israel."

The coin expresses the temporary freedom that the people of Israel had before the final suppression of the revolt by the Romans in year 136.

The coin was found near one of the hundreds of hiding-place systems that the rebels dug in the ground during the uprising.

These systems served the rebels as shelters in times of danger, also enabling them to move secretly toward each other underground.

The INPA estimates that one of the residents or rebels who had passed from one hiding place to another had lost the coin on his way.