Judaica / Zionisim - Lithuania, Vilna, Hand-engraved Jewish token, Possibly early, but the “1920” date raises ...

Judaica / Zionisim - Lithuania, Vilna, Hand-engraved Jewish token, Possibly early, but the “1920” date raises questions of authenticity A hand-engraved Jewish metal token, made in a simple, naïve style typical of private craftsmanship rather than official minting. The Yiddish inscription “ווילנע” (a vernacular spelling of Vilna/Vilke) suggests a possible connection to the Jewish community of Vilna. However, the appearance of the Gregorian year “1920” is highly unusual for early Jewish communal tokens, which almost always used Hebrew dates. This inconsistency raises doubts regarding the true date, and perhaps also the authenticity, it may be a later creation or a modern imitation intended to look older. Obverse: Large engraved Star of David, with the Yiddish inscription “ווילנע” (“Vilke / Vilna”) below. Reverse: Engraved seven-branch Menorah in naive style. Below appears the date 1920, the main point of doubt regarding period or authenticity. Weight: 9.038 g Diameter: 28 mm