What were the ten coins in the parable of the lost coin?
The ten coins were part of the woman’s dowry, given to her as a precious possession. In the parable, she lost one of the ten and did not give up until she found it. This mirrors the lost sheep, showing the same analogy of searching for what was lost.
Les explains that the parable of the lost coin fits only within the customs of the Jew. The ten pieces were part of the dowry; she probably had these ten coins given to her in dowry, and they were precious to them. She lost one of those that was hers, and she did not give up until she found it. This is the same analogy as the lost sheep, where the one lost represents the small remnant who realized they needed the true shepherd, while the ninety-nine represent the self-righteous majority who did not know they were lost.