Tiberius AR Denarius – Tribute Penny (Lyons mint)

Roman Imperial Silver Denarius of Tiberius “Tribute Penny”

Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, Head of Tiberius, laureate, right.

Rev: PONTIF MAXIM, Female figure, draped, right, seated, right on chair with plain legs, holding branch and long sceptre; below chair, a double line.

14 – 37 AD. · Lugdunum Mint · RIC 26

3.1g · 17mm

The Tiberius tribute penny is famously associated with the biblical account in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus is asked whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. In response, Jesus requests to see a denarius, believed to be this coin, and declares, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s,” using it to illustrate the distinction between earthly and divine obligations.