How much was 30 pieces of silver worth in the day of Jesus Christ?

Answer 1

There are a couple of ways to solve this. The 30 pieces of Silver were probably denarii. The modern day purchasing power of a denarii is valued at about US$20. That would make the 30 pieces to value about $600.

Answer 2

The 'piece of silver' was called a denarius by the Romans and it was the usual pay for a day of work by a common laborer. Today, a day laborer (non-union and not contracted) makes around $10 per hour, $80 per day. So the 30 pieces of silver could be compared to $2,400.

One interesting tidbit is the mention of this bounty shortly after Judas became angry at the wastage of a bottle of fragrant oil on Jesus. He said that the oil should have been sold for 300 denarii. The writer then ascribes a motive to Judas, saying that he wanted the money for himself and not for the poor. It is worth noting that the 30 pieces of silver would have been the tithe on income of 300 pieces of silver.

Answer 3

Thirty pieces of silver was about the price of a slave at that time. This was roughly equivalent to 120 denari or enough to pay a soldier for about four months. That would be approximately $6,000 to $7,000 of spending power.

Answer 4

Like precious metals of any age, it depends on the weight and scarcity of it. In the Old Testament Book of Exodus, it was worth the price of a slave. In the reign of King Solomon, it had little worth as there was much of it. We read that Jesus' betrayer got 30 pieces of silver in the Gospel of Matthew yet just a few verses before that, we read of the far greater value the woman who had a small bottle of fragrant oil owned when she washed Jesus' feet with. The Book of Zechariah prophecized of this amount of wage for Judas' betrayal and the purchase of a Potter's field fulfilled in the Gospel and Acts accounts.

The Silver market today is about $40.00 an ounce. This price is about 4 times higher than a couple of years ago. But if 30 pieces then weighed 10 0unces, then Judas would have been paid $400.00 in today's value for his infamous deed. Not insignificant but also not extravagant - perhaps a skilled laborer's monthly wage in 1st Century AD.

Answer 5

It was worth a lot as some say it was the standard rate to buy an ordinary slave.

The original reference to 30 pieces of silver for the price of a slave can be found in Exodus 21:32 where 30 shekels of silver would be about 12 ounces or 342 grams in weight.

In comparison, the denarius was the standard Romain coin used for one day wages throughout Roman Empire. It contained an average 4.5 grams so 30 pieces of silver would be just over 2 months wages.

In the New Testament, the reference to 30 pieces of silver can be found in Mat 26:15.

Answer 6

If it was scientifically proven to be the ACTUAL silver Judas gave (which is impossible, buts so is everything in The Bible so we are on the right track in 1 way). But if it was, more than likely it would be priceless. Only the Staff of Aaron, the Ark of the Covenant, and Noah's Ark would but it in value. (Except maybe the gold Jesus was given on his birth).

But more than likely the Vatican would lay instant claim to it and take it from you by force if required to obtain it, so in theory unless your the Pope the silver would be worthless to you and actually a hindrance :)

I assume, unlike the above 'answer' that you mean what was the amount (in today's terms) that Judas received for betraying Jesus.

It is most likely that the coins received were silver denarii. A denarius was the most common of the silver coins used ( as opposed to gold coins, or, the more common bronze coins) by the Roman occupying forces of Judea and was often called just a 'silver coin' rather than its correct name, much like in the US people call some of their coins 'quarters' rather than 25 cent pieces, or in the UK, before decimalisation, a shilling consisting of 12 pence was simply called a 'bob'.

A denarius' value was the equivalent of a day's wage for an unskilled worker. This is confirmed in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, as told by Jesus, where, for a day's unskilled work they were each given the usual wage of 1 'silver coin'.

In the UK, for example, someone earning today's minimum wage as an unskilled worker (around £7 per hour), working for 8 hours a day, would earn £56 for that day's work. Therefore, thirty days (for 30 pieces of silver) represented a month's wages for an unskilled worker - or around £1680, which is equivalent to around US$2740 or Can$2810 or Aus$2950 - hardly a King's ransom.

Answer 7

2000

Answer 8

$1440