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2 New Sheqalim Jonah in the Whale
| Issuer | Bank of Israel |
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| Year | 2010 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a stylized depiction of Jonah as a small praying figure at the lower centre, set against the large numeral '2' dominating the right field. The State of Israel emblem (menorah with olive branches) appears at the top centre, flanked by the trilingual inscription 'ISRAEL / ישראל / إسرائيل' in Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic scripts respectively. Along the left rim, a circular legend in Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin reads the biblical reference to Jonah in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17), while the denomination 'שקלים חדשים / NEW SHEQALIM', the Gregorian year '2010', the Hebrew year 'התש״ע', and the Mint of Finland mintmark 'מ' appear in the lower centre field. The overall design combines modern graphic composition with traditional religious iconography in a clean, proof-finished field. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a bold, stylised composition depicting the great fish curling around the lower half of the field, its tail sweeping upward in a dynamic arc that fills the upper left. Within the belly of the fish, a small schematic figure of Jonah is rendered in low relief, conveying the biblical narrative of his entrapment. A bird in flight, symbolising deliverance or the spirit, is depicted emerging toward the upper right against a smooth, mirror-like proof field. The entire design occupies the full diameter of the coin with no border legend, emphasising the artistic, sculptural quality of the composition. The reverse carries no inscriptions, allowing the figurative imagery alone to convey the theological theme. |
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Issued as part of Israel's long-running Biblical Art series, this piece commemorates one of the Hebrew Bible's most dramatically compressed narratives. The Bank of Israel has produced silver commemoratives in this series since the 1990s, each tied to a specific scriptural episode rather than a historical figure or political moment — an unusual choice for a central bank issuer that reflects the series' explicitly cultural mandate.
KM#476 is a low-mintage collector piece with no circulation history.