The silver half-shekel coin discovered in the City of David - the Place where Jerusalem began - is dated to the Great Revolt of Judea against Rome
(66-70 CE). 

The words “Holy Jerusalem” appear in Hebrew on one side of the coin, while the words “Half Shekel” appear on the other. When the Temple stood atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, every Jew was obligated to contribute annually a silver half-shekel towards its upkeep, as mandated in the Bible (Exodus 30:13).

Join Ze'ev Orenstein, Director of International Affairs at the City of David, as he walks us through this custom