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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoPlainText>“I just got a piece of spam advertising pidyon haben coins for $235. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="http://www.pidyonhaben.org/">http://www.pidyonhaben.org/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>I've included the URL not because I want to advertise this, but in case <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>anyone wants to take a look to see what they're talking about.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Is this in any way for real?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Many MANY years ago on a trip to Israel I bought the Israeli mint pidyon haben coins. I remember they said that they contained exactly the amount of silver that was in 5 shekalim at the time of the Beit Hamikdash. I’ve been using them at pidyon habens ever since (as you can guess, I’m a kohen) if the family doesn’t have coins they want to use. I sell them to the father before the ceremony and, guess what, I always go home with them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Joseph<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>