Did everyone have to make a special trip to Yerushalaim in Adar to give their machzis hashekel, or whenever it came out for them to give according to the different shitas? Maybe this will come up later, but it seems like a big burden, or was there some arrangement to send it with shilichim?
Pinchos Osher, Jerusalem
There was indeed an arrangement to send them with Shelichim (see Daf 7b). The Shekalim of each town were collected by appointed collectors, who gave over the combined Shekalim of the town to messengers to bring them to Yerushalyaim.
Archaeologists have found earthen vessels brimming with half-Shekel coins - and no other type of coins. These were presumably on their way to Yerushalayim when either the Beis ha'Mikdash was destroyed or the messengers were way-laid, so they were hidden or buried for safekeeping.
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf