Editing Pidyon haben (section)

==Coins==
[[File:Pidjon Ha Ben Coin.jpg|thumb|Pidyon haben coin from Israel, 1974. In the collection of the [[Jewish Museum of Switzerland]]. Such coins are offered in sets of 5 by the [[Bank of Israel]].  ]]
Contemporary religious authorities believe that the ''Shekel HaKodesh'' (Holy Shekel) of the Temple was larger and of purer silver content than the standard [[shekel]] used for trade in ancient Israel. [[Halakha]] requires that the coins used have a requisite total amount of actual silver. There are varying opinions as to the correct amount of silver, they fall in between 96.15&nbsp;grams and 102&nbsp;grams. Coins which do not contain the requisite amount of silver do not result in a valid redemption.

The Israeli Mint has minted two sets of coins for this purpose: an edition of 20.57&nbsp;gram silver commemorative coins, five of which would come to 102&nbsp;grams of silver,<ref>
{{cite web
 |title=Pidyon Haben
 |date=6 July 2020
 |website=israelmint.com
 |url=https://en.israelmint.com/default/72050340.html
 |access-date=6 July 2020
}}
</ref>
and a special edition 26&nbsp;gram silver commemorative coins, five of which would come to 130&nbsp;grams of silver.<ref>
{{cite web
 |title = Pidyon Haben medals set
 |website=israelmint.com
 |url=https://en.israelmint.com/default/72050370.html
}}
</ref> Pre-1936 American [[Dollar (United States coin)|silver dollars]] (commonly known as [[Morgan dollar]]s or [[Peace dollar]]s) weigh 26.73&nbsp;grams of 90% silver content and hence contain 24.06g of pure silver, although such coins have become increasingly rare (modern U.S. coins contain no silver). Four [[American Silver Eagle]] coins, specially minted coins sold to collectors and investors which contain 31.1035&nbsp;grams of 99.9% pure silver, or five of the above-mentioned specially minted silver coins of Israel are commonly used for ''pidyon haben'' in the United States. One may use [[silver bullion]] as well; it is not necessary for it to be a coin per se.

Moreover, it is not mandatory to redeem the son in silver coins, and the ceremony can be held using any movable object worth the same value as five silver coins in the same day, other than [[promissory notes]], which is not acceptable for the ceremony.<ref>
{{cite web
 |title=Shulchan Arukh
 |date=6 July 2020
 |website=sefaria.org.il
 |url=https://www.sefaria.org.il/Shulchan_Arukh%2C_Yoreh_De'ah.305?lang=en
 |access-date=6 July 2020
}}
</ref> Later halachic authorities discuss whether [[paper money]] is included in promissory notes;<ref>See Aruch Hashulchan YD 305:18.</ref> according to the stringent approach, it is possible that modern coins, which are [[fiat money]] not valued according to their metal value, would be the same as paper money.

Although the silver coins are the payment to the kohen according to the [[613 commandments]] and are one of the [[twenty-four priestly gifts]], they are sometimes returned by the kohen to the family as a gift for the child, although halachic authorities stipulate that, for the ''pidyon'' to be valid, the choice of returning the coins as a gift rests {{em|entirely}} upon the kohen whereas pressuring the kohen to do so would render the redemption invalid.<ref>Responsa "[[Chsam Sofer]]", to Yoreh Deah, Chap. 291</ref>

===''Pidyon'' certificate===
Some kohens officiating for the ''pidyon'' ceremony will present the father with a "''Pidyon HaBen'' certificate" of the ''pidyon'' transaction, the certificate will usually be framed for display and may serve as a receipt (and evidence) that the transaction was done according to [[halacha]] (i.e. the kohen was not pressured to return the coins), with the kohen and two witnesses ("[[Eidim]]") affixing their signatures at the time of the ceremony.