30 pieces of silver's worth

[Garyjohn2]

Hello,

Does anyone know how much money 30 pieces of silver actually is? I heard it was enough to buy a servant or a slave. But how much money is that in today’s economy? I’m just curious, if an answer is possible.

Thanks!

 

[ejb21]

Hi

I think in todays economy it would depend on the weight, that is, the price of silver per ounce.

I’m not sure what it’s going for today. Years ago I bought some silver dollars - probably an ounce per - for eight dollars each.

I’ve read that at that time 30 pieces of silver would have been a months pay for a laborer, but I can’t verify that information as correct.

Hope you have a good Easter.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . .

I’ve read that at that time 30 pieces of silver would have been a months pay for a laborer, but I can’t verify that information as correct. . . …

I think you have it. It appears that the denarius was the smallest silver coin at that time. I have read [in the footnotes on some of the parables] that it was the equivalent of a day’s wage for a laborer. Thus 30 as a month’s wage seems right.

 

[patrick457]

Hello,

Does anyone know how much money 30 pieces of silver actually is? I heard it was enough to buy a servant or a slave. But how much money is that in today’s economy? I’m just curious, if an answer is possible.

Thanks!

The thirty silver coins are indeed thought to be a reference to the equivalent price of a slave as stipulated in Exodus 21:32: “If the ox gores a man-servant or a maid-servant, thirty silver shekels he will give to their lord, and the ox shall be stoned.”

Now, it is also thought that the coin employed here was the Tyrian shekel, which in the Roman Empire took on an unusual role as the medium of payment for the Temple tax in Jerusalem. It was about the size of an American half-dollar, averaged 14.2 grams in weight and contained at least 94 percent silver. These coins were minted in Tyre between 126/125 BC and 19/18 BC. After the Romans closed the Tyre mint, these coins continued to be minted at an unknown mint, probably in or near Jerusalem, from 18/17 BC until AD 69/70, when Jerusalem and its Temple were laid to waste.

http://www-scf.usc.edu/~ciccone/images/tyrian shekel 5 in.jpg



These coins bore the images of the Phoenician deity Melqart as Herakles wearing a wreath, and the Seleucid eagle with the palm of victory on its shoulder. Of course, these coins were technically in violation of the commandment prohibiting images of false gods, yet it was declared that the Tyrian shekels were the only legal currency that was acceptable in the Temple due to their proper weight and higher silver content - the denarius’ silver content gradually decreased as time went on until it was replaced by the antoninianus in the middle of the 3rd century.

Now there is no fixed value for the shekel since it usually varied among times and places, so assigning a definite equivalent sum in dollars is a bit difficult.

 

[ryanoneil]

Hello,

Does anyone know how much money 30 pieces of silver actually is? I heard it was enough to buy a servant or a slave. But how much money is that in today’s economy? I’m just curious, if an answer is possible.

Thanks!

I guess it depends on how big the potter’s field was (Mt 27:7), and what it’s value would be in today’s economy.

 

[Charybdis]

Although it can’t really be compared to the price back then, the going price for silver today is $17.95/oz.

I’ve heard that precious metals are going to be going up in the near future due to inflation, buy silver and gold right now while you can…