Stunning Widow's Mite Coin widow's mite as spoken of by jesus in the bible. now jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. and many who were rich put in much. then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. so he called his disciples to himself and said to them, assuredly, i say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood. (mark 12: 41-44) the phrase, widow's mite, comes from this passage above in mark. widow's mite coins were minted by the kings of israel known as the hasmoneans. they ruled from 135 b.c. until the time of herod.