(JNS) An extremely rare Judean quarter-shekel coin, minted by Jewish rebels fighting the Roman empire some 2,000 years ago, was returned to the State of Israel in an official ceremony in New York this week, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The coin, known as the Year Four Quarter Shekel is one of only two such coins from “The Great Jewish Revolt,” that began in 66 C.E., known to exist, and is valued at more than $1 million. Minted in 69 C.E., it marks the fourth year of the Great Jewish Revolt against Rome (known as the First Jewish-Roman War), which raged from 66 to 73 C.E.

The minting of silver coins by the leaders of the Great Revolt was a declaration of independence by the Jews in the land of Israel, and a proclamation against the vast empire that they faced, according to the IAA.

The coin was returned in a ceremony attended by Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, IAA Director General Eli Eskozido, Israel’s Consul General in New York, Assaf Zamir, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel.