Beginning January 15, 2003, the largest hoard of Byzantine gold coins ever found in Israel will be on view at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33 Liberty Street.

The American Numismatic Society in conjunction with the Israel Antiquities Authority is opening the exhibit "Archaeological News from the Holy Land: The Bet She?an Hoard". The special traveling exhibition, which is sponsored by the Pritzker Foundation, will be on view as part of the ANS Exhibit "Drachmas, Doubloons, and Dollars: The History of Money." The Bet She'an exhibition will close on May 16, 2003.

During salvage excavations carried out in 1998 by Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists, a pot containing 751 Byzantine gold coins was uncovered under the floor of a residential house in a complex in the Jordan Valley, in northern Israel. The housing complex dates to the Umayyad period in the 7th century CE. The hoard of 7.5 pounds of gold is the largest find of gold ever made in Israel. The gold coins will be displayed in the context of other objects found in the excavations. Such hoards are not often recovered in archaeological excavations, which makes this find exceptional. It was previously shown at the Field Museum in Chicago and will also be on view beginning early this summer at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The hoard will be part of an exhibition of 800 examples from the American Numismatic Society's noted collection of one million coins, bills and other forms of currency used worldwide and spanning three millenia of history.

The exhibition highlights the significance of money as political propaganda, artwork, and a reflection of social climate and economy. In addition to the Bet She?an Hoard from Israel the famed 1933 Double Eagle ? the world's most valuable coin ? will also be on view.

Exhibition hours are 10:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33 Liberty Street (wheelchair access provided from the Maiden Lane entrance). Admission is free. For a guided tour of the Federal Reserve, you must make an appointment by calling 212-720-6130.