This small 16mm silver Persian Siglos is the oldest coin in my collection dated 485-420 BC. The obverse depicts a Persian King or hero crouching with a bow and spear, the reverse is an incuse punch mark. This coin was minted in Sardis / Sardes modern Turkey. We can only imagine who handled this coin in markets or was it part of a soldiers pay who fought in the war with Greece? A Siglos was one third the weight of a Persian shekel, it is possibly the amount referred to in Nehemiah 10v32 re the annual Temple
contribution being a third of a shekel.
The Persian King Ahasuerus / Xerxes 1st is mentioned in the Book of Esther (Esther 1v1) . Esther would become one of his wives. During the reign of Xerxes Haman plotted to annihilate all the Jews in the kingdom but because of Esther and her influence the plot was foiled and Haman was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai Esther's uncle. The book of Esther shows us Gods Sovereignty and is summarised in Mordecai's exhortation to Esther (Esther 4v14).