Anchor resembling the image on a coin of Alexander Jannaeus. Name of country (Israel) in Hebrew and Arabic.

Alexander Jannaeus (also known as Alexander Jannai/Yannai) was the second Hasmonean king of Judaea from 103 to 76 BC. A son of John Hyrcanus, he inherited the throne from his brother Aristobulus I, and married his brother's widow, Queen Salome Alexandra. From his conquests to expand the kingdom to a bloody civil war, Alexander's reign has been generalized as cruel and oppressive with never ending conflict. Although Josephus and other historians refer to him by the name of "Alexander Yannai", his full name was "Alexander Jonathan" as attested to by his coins wherein he calls himself "Yehonathan the king".

Wreath of stylized olive branches, denomination and date.

All dates on Israeli coins are given in the Hebrew calendar and are written in Hebrew letters. Hebrew dating formed from a combination of the 22 consonant letters of the Hebrew alphabet and read from right to left.

When the same Pruta series coin was struck by both the Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) and the Birmingham Mint in Great Britain, to the ICI version a small raised dot - also called "pearl" - was added on the reverse, just below the link near the bottom. Sometimes the pearl almost touches the link, and in other instances the pearl is detached.