Rimon Auction 03 - Coins and Banknotes of Israel and Palestine, medals and tokens.

Silver coin - Pidyon Haben - 1955.

Britain: Jewish silver coin "Pidyon Haben", 1955; Designed by Vivian Cohen, produced by Canning & Spencer, London; Size: 35mm; Weight: 21.05 grams.

Obverse: A pair of hands that bless the priest's blessing; Text of the blessing in Hebrew.

Reverse: The text of the commandment to redeem the firstborn son "כל זכר בכם אתה צריך לפדות ... בערכו של חמישה שקלים [מטבע זה] אחד שקל כסף".

Halakhah requires that the coins used for the redemption of the newborn contain the required amount of money, such as the original shekel of the Holy Communion ("שקל הקודש"), between 100-117 grams. Cohen was an antique coin dealer in London, and he probably was a Jew.