The 1988 film "The Last Temptation of Christ" shows some ancient coins including Roman coins. One coin which appears in the film is a copy of a large imitation Roman coin of the Emperor Lucius Verus based on Renaissance medals created by medalist Giovanni Cavino. The film was based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis and stars Willem Dafoe as Jesus and Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene. The film tells a non-traditional story of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Some of the Biblical stories of Jesus are portrayed including the Money Changers in the Temple. In one scene, Jesus visits a temple. A Temple priest holds up a gold coin. Later Jesus observes a group of money changers who have set up shop there, including tables and plates full of copies of ancient coins.

A prologue explains that the film is fictional and not based on the Holy Bible accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus is shown beginning his ministry.

Most of the people ignore him. Jesus and Mary Magdalene, who in the film is an old girlfriend and now a prostitute, have become friends again.

A tray of coins is then shown.

A market place shows a tray full of coins which are enlarged copies of Roman coins. Sometime later Jesus now has his Apostles including Judas.

A Temple priest appears holding a large gold coin.

He explains that people have to pay a "temple tax" which has to be paid in shekels and not in any other kind of money, including Roman. Therefore there are money changers set up to exchange shekels for Roman and other coins.

He has a display of coins and some kind of counting device. Jesus asks him how is business and the man replies that it is good.

The prop coins are good imitations of Roman coins and made larger than real coins to better display them. The coins have images of Caesars on them.

He runs through the crowd and throws the changers' tables into the air.

In the center is a large gold coin.

The Roman coin matches a well known imitation Roman coin of Emperor Lucius Verus (AD 161-169) but is gold plated.

Bronze, 35 mm, 18.10 gm
The design is based on medals created by the 16th century medalist Giovanni Cavino "The Paduan"
This is a modern manufactured fake coin designed to be sold to tourists visiting ancient sites.
Obverse:
Lucius Verus facing right
L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAXI RP VIIII
Reverse:
Man driving a quadriga, a chariot with four horses
COS II / S C in exergue

The Roman emperor on the coin, Lucius Verus, was the co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius from AD 161 to 169, more than a century after the time of Christ. The original bronze version of this coin appears in the 1975 film "The Man Who Would Be King."

Jesus is taken to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate for questioning about riots.

Jesus is sentenced to be crucified for sedition.

An angel appears seated.

The angel tells Jesus that he doesn't have to be crucified and takes him down from the cross. Jesus begins an ordinary life and marries Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene later dies and Jesus marries Mary, the sister of Lazarus.

He has two children with her and for several years lives an ordinary life. One day Jesus sees a new preacher.

The preacher is Saul of Tarsus, now Paul, who tells the Biblical story of Christ. He then tells Jesus that the real Christ was crucified and rose from the dead.

They include Judas, who in the film, was ordered by Jesus to bring the Romans to him. The Apostles, now elderly, tell Jesus that he was wrong to live an ordinary life and the angel was actually Satan. Jesus asks God for forgiveness and is back on the Cross.

Willem Dafoe as Jesus
Harvey Keitel as Judas
Paul Greco as Zealot
Verna Bloom as Mary, Mother of Jesus
Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Paul Schrader, Nikos Kazantzakis (novel)