Ancient Money Calculator (2024)

Chapter 14 of The Bridge to the New Testament describes many of the different types of money used in inter-testament and New Testament times. We discuss the history of the money used by the Jews, the different denominations of ancient money, the debasem*nt of money, conversions among the various monetary systems of the time, how money was used in the New Testament, and the appearance of ancient money.

The average Roman workday during the time period was six hours, and a denarius was paid for this days' wage. Based on the United States federal minimum wage of $7.25 USD, that would be $43.50 USD per day (for six hours). Therefore, one Roman denarius would be $43.50 (try putting $43.50 in the US Dollars field below and see that it does equal one denarius).

This calculator may be used to see how the United States Dollar compares to the currencies used by Jewish, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Enter a value in any field and all the other values will be calculated. See the four tables at the bottom of this page for a description of the relationships among the various pieces of money.



US Dollars

$


Minimum Wage

$

All of the calculations on this page are based on this Minimum Wage field. The minimum wage value may be changed above (for example, if you live in a community with a higher minimum wage than the federal one) to see how the calculated values are affected.


Jewish Money


Lepton (134 BC-AD 6)

Lepton (AD 6-AD 70)

Prutah (134 BC-AD 6)

Prutah (AD 6-AD 70)

Gerah

"Fourth of a Shekel"

Bekah

Pim

Shekel

Jewish Mina

Talent (Jewish)

Heavy Talent (Jewish)

Greek Money


Hemiobol

Obol

Litra

Trihemiobol

Diobol

Triobol

Tetraobol (Tetrobol)

Drachm

Didrachm

Stater (Silver)

Stater (Gold)

Tetradrachm

Pentadrachm

Octadrachm

Decadrachm

Greek Mina

Talent (Greek)

Roman Money


Uncia (Minted during Republic)

Quadrans

Triens (Minted during Republic)

Quincunx (Minted during Republic)

Semis

As

Dupondius

Sestertius

Quinarius (Silver)

Denarius

Cistophorus

Quinarius (Gold)

Aureus

Talent (Roman)


Jewish Money

NameEquivalenceDescription
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* If a denarius was paid for 6 hours of work (see Conversions between MonetarySystems in The Bridge to the New Testament), then a shekel was paid for 24 hours of work (since there are fourdenarii per shekel). 24 hours is 1440 minutes, and there are 512 lepta per shekel (assuming theRoman period from AD 6-70). Therefore:

(1440 minutes/shekel) x (1 shekel/512 lepta) = 2.8 minutes/lepton ≌ 3minutes/lepton


Greek Money

NameEquivalenceDescription
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* Some other smaller denominations than the obol are mentioned in some of theliterature, such as the hemitetartemorion (1/2 tetartemorion [1/8 obol]), the tetartemorion (1/4obol), the trihemitetartemorion (3/2 tetartemorion [3/8 obol]), and the tritartemorion (3tetaremorions [3/4 obol]).


Roman Money

NameEquivalenceDescription
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* Coins of the Early Republic not minted by the time of the New Testament.

** Coins of New Testament times not minted during the Republic.


Conversions

Base UnitEqual ToApprox. Value*
($US 2016)
Notes
Jewish Lepton
  • 1/128 of a Roman Denarius
  • 1/128 of a Greek Drachma
  • 1/512 of a Jewish Shekel
$0.34
  • About three minutes of an average unskilled wage.
1 Roman Denarius = 1 Greek Drachm
  • ¼ of a Jewish (Tyrian) Shekel
$43.50
  • An average daily wage of an unskilled worker.
Jewish or Tyrian Shekel
  • 4 Roman Denarii or 4 Greek Drachmae
$174.00
  • Thirty pieces of silver (probably Tyrian shekels) would have been about $5,220 US, what Judas received to betray Jesus.
  • ½ of a shekel was the Temple tax, about $87.
Jewish Talent
  • 12,000 Roman Denarii
  • 12,000 Greek Drachmae
$522,000.00
  • In the parable of talents, one talent would have been about $522,000, two talents about $1,044,000, and five talents about $2.61 million.

* Based on a six hour work day at $7.25/hour minimum wage.

Ancient Money Calculator (2024)

FAQs

How much is 10 000 sesterces worth in dollars? ›

Conversion rates between ancient currency (i.e. Sesterces or Denarii) are problematic at best and virtually unknown. However, most modern estimates put the sesterces as being equivalent to $0.50 American dollars. Therefore, 10, 000 sesterces would equal: $5, 000 American dollars!

What would a denarius be worth today? ›

The exchange rate of Denarius is increasing. The current value of 1 D is $0.05 USD.
...
USD to D.
AmountToday at 11:52 am
0.5 USD10.54 D
1 USD21.08 D
5 USD105.42 D
10 USD210.83 D
4 more rows

What is a denarius worth in us dollars? ›

Denarius to US Dollar
Denarius$ US Dollar
10.04062
5.000.2031
10.000.4062
50.002.03
4 more rows

How much is 1 Roman denarii? ›

Therefore, one Roman denarius would be $43.50 (try putting $43.50 in the US Dollars field below and see that it does equal one denarius). This calculator may be used to see how the United States Dollar compares to the currencies used by Jewish, Greek, and Roman civilizations.

How much is a sesterces worth today? ›

This would suggest a modern equivalence of about 1 sesterce = $0.50, that is 1 denarius = $2.00. Other such calculations could set the value of 1 sestertius as the equivalent of as much as $1.50.

What size was a sestertius coin? ›

The brass sestertius typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grams, is around 32–34 mm in diameter and about 4 mm thick.

How much was a day's wage in Bible times? ›

Typically, one denarius (or one drachma) was considered a fair wage for a day of manual labor (as reflected in Matthew 20:2). So a worker might expect to earn a little over 300 denarii in a year.

How much was a Roman soldier paid? ›

Soldiers' pay was made in three instalments of 75 denarii in January, May and September. Domitian changed the intervals to three monthly and thus increased pay to 300 denarii. Under Severus he raised pay once more to an estimated 450 denarii.

Was a denarius a penny? ›

Thus the denarius of the Romans became a "penny" in the English language Bible.

How much was a denarii worth in the Bible? ›

Hence, the value of the denarius would be about 20 cents and this was the ordinary wage of a soldier and a day laborer.

How much is 100000 denarius in USD? ›

Current value of 100000 D in USD is 4,353.58 USD

This is the real-time data fetched from our partnered price aggregators.

What could you buy with one denarius? ›

Classical historians often say that in the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire (~27BC) the daily wage for an unskilled laborer and common soldier was 1 denarius (with no tax deductions) or about US$20 in bread.

What was a denarius in Jesus time? ›

The coin brought to Jesus, for he apparently did not carry money, was a denarius. The coin was the authorized silver coin equal to the value of the drachma of the Greeks. The standard temple shekel was worth four denaria. Jesus pointed out that there was an image stamped on the coin.

How much did a loaf of bread cost in ancient Rome? ›

More than 2,000 years before the low-carb revolution, bread was the staple of the Roman diet, and you could expect to pay 2 asses for a one-pound loaf. A half-liter of top-shelf ancient wine cost up to 30 asses, while a new tunic cost about 15 sestertii.

Is a denarii and denarius the same thing? ›

The Roman denarius (plural: denarii) was a silver coin that was first minted during the period of the Roman Republic in 211 BC.

What was the most valuable Roman coin? ›

1. The Most Important Ancient Coin: The Brutus “Eid Mar” Denarius, 42 BC. This ancient coin marks one of the most significant events in western history- the assassination of Julius Caesar.

How much is a Roman solidus worth? ›

Solidus as a Roman coin

By this time, the solidus was worth 275,000 increasingly debased denarii, each denarius containing just 5% silver (or one twentieth) of the amount it had three and a half centuries beforehand.

How much is a biblical dinar worth? ›

A denarius (or "penny") was what an agricultural worker typically was paid for one day's labor (Mt. 20:2). If we assume U.S. minimum wage for 10 hours, that would be $72.50 currently.

What is the oldest Roman coin ever found? ›

Oldest Roman Coin: The silver denarius Roman Republic coin dating from 211BC was found during an excavation in 2000 at Hallaton, Leics. It sat on a shelf at a museum for 10 years before anyone realized the importance of their find.

What is the largest ancient coins? ›

The Gold Octodrachm was by far the largest gold coin ever struck in the ancient world. These heavy weights were a most common denomination of its day. Importantly, other large denominations like the tetradrachm (four drachms), the pentadrachm (five drachms) were also common.

How much gold was a sesterce? ›

The sesterce was valued at 1/4500 pound of Gold from Nero's reign until the year 215, and at at 1/5000 pound of Gold in 215.

What was minimum wage in Jesus time? ›

200 sestertii (or 50 denarii) was a subsistence wage per year for adults. One denarius a day was a good wage during the time of Jesus. If the wage of common labors rose 25 fold in 300 years, the general price level rose threefold in 100 years.

How many hours were in a day in Biblical times? ›

But the common people of New Testament times, in their homes and in business, knew nothing of the day of 24 equal hours. To them the day was the period between sunrise and sunset, and that was divided into 12 equal parts called hours.

How much salt was a Roman soldier paid? ›

Polybius, writing in the mid-100s BCE, quotes a foot-soldier's pay as 'two obols' per day, that is to say, one third of a denarius (Polybius 6.39. 12). In other words, a Roman pound of salt (ca. 330 grams) cost one twentieth of a foot-soldier's daily wages.

What reward would a Roman soldier get when they retire after 25 years? ›

Once retired, a Roman legionary received a parcel of land or its equivalent in money and often became a prominent member of society.

Why were the Roman soldiers paid in salt? ›

In Roman times, and throughout the Middle Ages, salt was a valuable commodity, also referred to as "white gold." This high demand for salt was due to its important use in preserving food, especially meat and fish. Being so valuable, soldiers in the Roman army were sometimes paid with salt instead of money.

What was the life expectancy of a Roman soldier? ›

The Roman lifespan for men was 41 years. The entry age for the Roman army was 18-22. So after his 25 years of service, he would been 43-47 years old — provided he had managed to live beyond the average life expectancy.

Why is $0.01 called a penny? ›

The colloquial term penny derives from the British coin of the same name, which occupies a similar place in the British system. Pennies is the plural form (not to be confused with pence, which refers to the unit of currency).

What coin did Jesus use? ›

However, there are four coins directly linked with Jesus in the New Testament: Phoenician shekel and half-shekel, Jewish Hasmonean lepton, and Roman denarius.

How much is 1 talent worth in the Bible? ›

Some calculate the talent in the parables to be equivalent to 20 years of wages for the common worker. Other scholars estimate more conservatively, valuing the New Testament talent somewhere between $1,000 to $30,000 dollars today.

How much did Judas sell Jesus for? ›

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Jesus. Before the Last Supper, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to hand over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins. Jesus was then arrested in Gethsemane, where Judas revealed Jesus' identity to the soldiers by giving him a kiss.

How much was 30 pieces of silver worth in the Bible? ›

Some say the value may have been worth as high as 120 day's wages, while many others believe it could have been as low as five day's wages. In considering the real price that was placed on Jesus it is important to look at other places where the Bible uses the term thirty pieces of silver.

How much is 10 000 talents in the Bible? ›

But the magnitude of God's forgiveness means that Peter must forgive even significant debt owed him by others. Now realize that 10,000 talents is 200,000 years of labor! It is 60,000,000 working days. In modern money, it is $3.48 billion.

How much is one Iraqi dollar worth in America? ›

1 IQD = 0.000763 USD May 03, 2023 19:01 UTC

The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.

How much is 1 million denarii worth? ›

1000000 Denarius is 1175365 US Dollar.

How much is 60 million denarii worth today? ›

60000000 Denarius is 71782767 US Dollar.

How much is a gold Roman coin worth? ›

A Roman Gold Aureus issued under Roman Emperor Augustus, as seen in the video below, is worth a lot. An example like this costs around $20,000 if it is genuine and certified by NGC. NGC is the only true Ancient Coin Authentication and Grading Service. NGC developed a specialized grading system for ancient coins.

Why are Roman coins so cheap? ›

Supply and demand. If large numbers of them are found, or not many people are interested in them after they are found, or both, then they will be cheap.

Are Roman coins worth money? ›

Unlike most modern coins, Roman coins had (at least in the early centuries) significant intrinsic value. However, while the gold and silver issues contained precious metals, the value of a coin could be slightly higher than its precious metal content, so they were not, strictly speaking, equivalent to bullion.

How much did Romans pay for slaves? ›

The price of an enslaved person in ancient Rome varied considerably depending on the sex, age, and skills of the individual. Based on literary and documentary sources, the average price for an unskilled or moderately skilled enslaved person in the first three centuries AD was about 2,000 sesterces.

When was bread 25 cents? ›

The Price of Bread
YEARCost of 1 lb. of Bread
1970$0.25
1980$0.50
1990$0.75
2000$1.99
5 more rows

Who got free bread in ancient Rome and why? ›

According to Roman historical tradition, the Roman government intervened sporadically to obtain and distribute free or subsidized grain to Rome's more impoverished male citizens during shortages and famines.

How much is a talent worth? ›

NIV: a footnote says "Talent: 75 or 100 pounds."

What were Roman gold coins called? ›

aureus, basic gold monetary unit of ancient Rome and the Roman world.

How much is 10 000 coin in dollars? ›

Coin to USD
COINUSD
1000 COIN11.25 USD
5000 COIN56.26 USD
10000 COIN112.53 USD
50000 COIN562.67 USD
7 more rows
May 5, 2023

What are sesterces Roman coins? ›

The sestertius, or sesterce, was an ancient Roman coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small silver, and rare, coin issued only very occasionally. During the Roman Empire it was a large brass coin.

How many sesterces does a denarius have? ›

4 Sestertii make a silver coin called a Denarius. This small silver coin was equal to a day's pay for the average Roman.

How much is 10 000 Roman denarii in dollars? ›

10000 Denarius is 11910.74 US Dollar.

What is the coin worth 10 million? ›

The record-setting $10 million paid for the 1794 Flowing Hair silver dollar from the Cardinal Collection took Q. David Bowers back to 1996 when the first coin to cross the $1 million threshold at auction was sold. Images courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries.

How much is rich coin in USD? ›

RICH COIN price is unchanged in the past week.

The new price represents a new all time high of $0.000028. The current circulating supply is 0 RICH.

Can you still find Roman coins? ›

"We do find single Roman coins occasionally in the Alps, but this site is unusual because of the amount of coins and the location," Regula Gubler, the study's scientific project manager, told Newsweek. "More common would be finds—coins, brooches—on mountain passes.

How many Roman coins are left? ›

With over 140,000 coins on the database, Roman coins make up the largest single artefact type recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Are there any Roman coins left? ›

Only four coins featuring Sponsian are known to have survived to the present day, all apparently originally from the 1713 hoard. Another is in Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu, Romania.

How much is 1 denarius in Jesus time? ›

So, could one fairly say as a ballpark figure: "A denarius was worth a day's pay for a skilled laborer. That would be roughly equivalent to a $50 bill".

What is an Antoninianus coin? ›

The antoninianus or pre-reform radiate, was a coin used during the Roman Empire thought to have been valued at 2 denarii. It was initially silver, but was slowly debased to bronze with a minimal silver content. The coin was introduced by Caracalla in early 215 AD.

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