The coin referred to in the Gospel Story of the "Widow's Mite" (Mk 12:38-44) was the lowest denomination coin circulating during the time of Christ. The "lepton" or the "prutah" (as it was known) was one of the first and the most common Jewish coin ever minted. It dated from the time of Alexander Jannaeus, a King of Judea and a descendent of Judas Maccabee. Each coin was hand cast of bronze (not copper) often showing the defects of hasty mintage methods. The coins depicted various symbolic representations of anchors, stars, eight-spoked wheels, cornucopias and other objects in the daily life of the time.