Monday, May. 31, 2021
Did Israel mint a coin 33 years before the 9/11 attacks that included an image of a plane aiming for the twin towers?
The image included in a social media post implying prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks by the Israeli government is not of a coin, but a medallion produced privately to commemorate Israel's victory over Egypt in the Six Day War of 1967. The imagery shows a Torah scroll, not two skyscrapers.
It is unreasonable to believe that an obscure medallion made in 1967 would envision New York's twin towers since the buildings were still on the drawing board then. Construction did not start for another year.
A close look at the image shows the coin depicts a Torah scroll, which is the first five books of the Bible.
The post also describes the 1967 coin as a shekel. Modern Israel only adopted the shekel as currency in 1980, when it replaced the pound that was used starting in 1952.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Medals and Decorations of Israel French Israeli Six Day War commemorative medal, 1967 (no. 16)
- World Trade Center History timeline
- OANDA Israeli New Shekel
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