Shekel (Heb., from shukal, 'to weigh'), originally a certain standard weight in use among the ancient Hebrews, by which the value of metals, metal vessels, and other things was fixed. Gradually it became a normal piece of money, both in gold and silver, marked in some way or other as a coin, although not stamped. The gifts to the sanctuary, the fines, the taxes, the prices of merchandise are all reckoned in the Old Testament by the shekel, not counted but weighed. Three different kinds of gold, silver, and copper shekels are mentioned: the common shekel, the shekel of the sanctuary (probably of double value), and the shekel of royal weight. Besides these there was a half-shekel and a quarter-shekel. The sacred shekel was equal to 20 gerahs ('beans'), and 3000 sacred shekels made a talent. The gold shekel is reckoned approximately to contain 161 Troy grains, the silver shekel 275. During the Babylonian exile the Persian money (daries) was used by the captives; nor do the Jews seem to have afterwards used any but the coins of their foreign rulers. It was first under the Maccabees that national money began to be struck. Simon, the 'prince and high-priest,' received, according to 1 Macc. xv. 16, the permission from Antiochus VII. to strike coins in
138 B.C. The emblems are sacred branches, sheaves, flowers, vases, &c., and the legend (in archaic Hebrew) contains the date, the name of the Jewish ruler, and the inscriptions 'Shekel of Israel,' 'Jerusalem the Holy,' 'Redemption of Israel.' The latest coins with Hebrew inscriptions date from the revolution of Bar-cochba under Hadrian. The value of the silver shekel is reckoned to be something over two shillings.