# How much were 30 silver coins worth .. ?



## John Bunyan (May 31, 2012)

In U.S. dollars


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## Andres (May 31, 2012)

In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.


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## lynnie (May 31, 2012)

According to the wonderful world of google, a denarius was one day's pay for the average worker in bible times, and the silver coins Judas got were worth about 3-4 denarius each....so say 100+ days wages, or about 4 months pay.

So whatever you would consider middle class monthly income to be, multiply by four to get the approximate buying power of the 30 coins. Google would say the median for a household is about 50,000 or so, which means Judas got 16 grand.


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## John Bunyan (May 31, 2012)

lynnie said:


> According to the wonderful world of google, a denarius was one day's pay for the average worker in bible times, and the silver coins Judas got were worth about 3-4 denarius each....so say 100+ days wages, or about 4 months pay.
> 
> So whatever you would consider middle class monthly income to be, multiply by four to get the approximate buying power of the 30 coins. Google would say the median for a household is about 50,000 or so, which means Judas got 16 grand.


Seems little, when you contrast that value with what other traitors received for their actions. But in the first century that was probably a lot of money. Thank you.



Andres said:


> In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.


Both


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## Edward (Jun 1, 2012)

lynnie said:


> , and the silver coins Judas got were worth about 3-4 denarius each....so say 100+ days wages, or about 4 months pay.
> 
> So whatever you would consider middle class monthly income to be, multiply by four to get the approximate buying power of the 30 coins. Google would say the median for a household is about 50,000 or so, which means Judas got 16 grand.



That number looks a bit high. 

Silver is currently going for just under $28 a troy ounce (for metal that is probably more pure than was available then). Unless I'm making a math error somewhere or misplacing a decimal, that would be about $400 per pound. So $16,000 would work out to about 40 pounds of silver.


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## py3ak (Jun 1, 2012)

Andres said:


> In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.



There were no U.S. dollars at that time....


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## rookie (Jun 1, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.
> ...



And the closest estimate historians could make, were for example, that the ointment that was used to wash the Lord's feet, was valued at between $11 000 and $17 000.....

I have no issue believing that 30 pieces of silver might have been quite costly..how much...we may never know the exact amount, we can only go by the average person's salary. Here in Canada it's about $35 000 - $45 000 yearly... Minimum wage in New Brunswick is about $19 000.


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## Constantlyreforming (Jun 1, 2012)

I am sure that the silver coins added up to some mystical number that if repeated 12 times (the # of disciples) and then written down a certain way, would make one inherit certain blessings.





(completely kidding)


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## Unoriginalname (Jun 1, 2012)

Edward said:


> Quote Originally Posted by lynnie View Post
> , and the silver coins Judas got were worth about 3-4 denarius each....so say 100+ days wages, or about 4 months pay.
> 
> So whatever you would consider middle class monthly income to be, multiply by four to get the approximate buying power of the 30 coins. Google would say the median for a household is about 50,000 or so, which means Judas got 16 grand.
> That number looks a bit high.


It was at least enough to buy a field.


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## Pilgrim Standard (Jun 1, 2012)

Unoriginalname said:


> It was at least enough to buy a field.


Now there is a good use of analogia fidei applied to biblically historic economics right?
WCF Ch 1 Section 9 "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly."

Not that we can't figure the value of a particular means of exchange historically out side of the word... But I think the quoted answer above (by Eric Hettinger Jr) was just excellent.


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## Edward (Jun 1, 2012)

Unoriginalname said:


> It was at least enough to buy a field.



But how much field and what quality?


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## Rich Koster (Jun 1, 2012)

It is worth the same as a tasty bowl of lentils.


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## Pilgrim Standard (Jun 1, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.
> ...


My understanding is that there was not a concept of fiat currency at all at that time.

The delima in finding the value of the coins is that the specific coinage is not stated. Simply _arguria_. The assumption is that you are speaking of the Coins Judas received.


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## Andres (Jun 1, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > In that time or present? Inflation changes everything.
> ...



Are you sure? 


Thank you Ruben for humbling me today.


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## py3ak (Jun 1, 2012)

Andrew, I can sincerely say that the pleasure was all mine. I consider it a high privilege.

Ben, it's not a question of economics: it's a question of history. If the US didn't exist, it is unlikely that its distinctive units of measurement existed.


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## Unoriginalname (Jun 1, 2012)

Pilgrim Standard said:


> Not that we can't figure the value of a particular means of exchange historically out side of the word... But I think the quoted answer above (by Eric Hettinger Jr) was just excellent.


I am not sure if you are teasing me or not but I was not trying to point out the obvious. Different goods are worth more in different cultures, yet property tends to always be of some value. So I just figured if 30 pieces is enough to buy a field to use a burial ground, even if it was not choice real estate it would still show that 30 pieces of silver was not chump change.


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## JimmyH (Jun 1, 2012)

Whatever it was worth then or in today's USD , it wasn't worth the price Judas paid to earn it.


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## ProtestantBankie (Jun 1, 2012)

I think we are confusing two answers.

There are two ways of answering "how much were 30 silver coins worth", the answer is being rendered in two ways
1) Today's market value of silver. (What it would cost today to have the silver that Judas had then)

This is a less accurate answer. Since the discovery of silver mines in South America flooded market in the 18th century and caused Silver to be all but abandonned.

2) What was the Purchasing Power of 30 coins of silver?

This is the more accurate answer. The Cost of a PS3 today is far less than when the console was released. So "when" a person is given a PS3 or Plasma TV (et cetera) is neccesary to determine the value.

________

So with that said I am happy to accept the answers already on the board.


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