Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1949
Composition: Copper 95%, Tin 3%, Zinc 2%
Diameter: 20 mm
Weight: 3.2 grams
Total Mintage: 10,045,000 (circulation)
Edge: Smooth
Introduction
Following the establishment of the State in 1948, the government of Israel requested the Israel Numismatic Society to propose the designs for a new series of coins. One example from the series is smallest denomination known as the 5 Pruta.
The singular form "pruta" instead of the plural "prutot" was erroneously minted on the five- and ten-pruta coins; this was corrected in a later series of the ten-pruta coins, but not the five-pruta. Though issued in 1949, the coin was ceased to be recognized as legal tender February 22, 1980.
Design
The obverse design was based on the Bar-Kochba coin (132 - 135 C.E.) and featues a four-stringed lyre. Above & below the design is the word “Israel” in both Hebrew and Arabic. .
The reverse design features the denomination "5 Pruta" and the date in Hebrew inside two stylized olive branches around the rim.
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General Market Notes
With more than 5 million coins produced supply is more than enough to make this an affordable coin. Though the proof coin with a mintage of only 25,000 is entirely different and can command some high prices.