Shekel, Simon Maccabaeus, 140 B.C., from the Ancient Coins series (N180) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This small print, "Shekel, Simon Maccabaeus, 140 B.C.," was produced by William S. Kimball & Co. as part of their Ancient Coins series. The composition is dominated by two circular coin faces set against an off-white card. The design elements on each coin—stylized inscriptions and images—are carefully rendered as raised relief. The circular form encloses and concentrates the symbolic weight of the depicted imagery, which has political and cultural significance. The use of raised relief underscores the importance of these symbols. Note the horizontal line cutting through the image, destabilizing the presumed wholeness and perfection often associated with coinage and state power. Kimball & Co.’s choice to reproduce this ancient artifact engages with themes of cultural memory and historical reconstruction. Yet, by presenting it as a collectible card, they also transform it into a commodity, thus blurring the lines between historical reverence and commercial enterprise. The card becomes a signifier, encoding layers of meaning from ancient power structures to 19th-century consumer culture.