Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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| A "Lucky" Token Find. |
Herer is another token find. It is an unusual one for me. It is simply stated with nothing added to take away from the message. I'd call tt a good luck token.
The numbers seven and eleven have meanings deeper than the fortunate outcome in craps. Seven is the number of days of creation and represents completion and perfection, while eleven, in numerology is considered the mater number and represents spiritual insight. But you don't have to know that to see this as a good luck token.
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| Same Token. |
Not surprisingly, it has a hole for suspension. The hole is now filled with corrosion or dirt, but it is there.
Good luck pieces are not uncommon. Here is a more graphic one.
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| "Tails you lose" Side of Another Token. |
I've found more than one of these "lady" tokens. The other side reads, "Heads I win" and shows more than the ladies head on the other side, which I would take to be the obverse.
Of course, coins also are used as good luck pieces. Of the holed coins I've found and not counting the 18th century reales, most are wheat pennies. Below are two.
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| Two Wheat Pennies That Could be Worn as Pendants. |
I have a few holed wheat pennies, but I'm not sure I have any holed memorial cents at all.
So why is it that good luck pennies are so often wheat cents? I can think of a a few reasons wheaties might be the choice.
Wheat has been depicted on coins for centuries and is a common symbol for prosperity, abundance, and agricultural heritage. It symbolized fertility, survival and economic well be. But it might be simplier than that. It symbolizes fertility, survival and economic well-being.
It could be that the idea of a lucky penny is simply not in fashion anymore or that the penny has so little regard that it now makes a poor symbol of good fortune.
But back to the idea of heads and tails, which is so graphically illustrated on the token above.
I think everybody my age knows the rhyme "Find a penny pick it up and all day long you'll have good luck." But it gets more specific. Some traditions see it differently depending upon whether the penny is heads up or tails up.
The belief tht the heads-up side facing heaven collects divine favor and carries good luck, however a penny facing tails up is taken by some as a sign of bad luck and shouldn't be picked up. but others take it farther. Tails side up indicates the penny is for someone else, so the proper thing is to turn it over and leave it for someone else. I like that idea. (See Unlock Good Fortune: The Complete Guide to the Lucky Penny Lore - WonderLearning.blog)
Coinage has long featured kings or rulers or powerful people or people to be admired, such as on the Lincoln penny.
The first cent of the colonies is different. Designed by Benjamin Franklin, on one side it reads "Mind Your Business" and on the other side it reads "We Are One" and shows thirteen interlinked rings.
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| Fugio Cent. |
I'll wind this up by saying that I've seen a good number reales with holes from the 1715 Fleet included small denomination coins. Maybe someday I'll explore that a little more. Much has been written about the heart cobs, which I wrote about before. (See for example, Th.e Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 11/9/15 Report - Dug Silver Christ Figure. Sacred Heart Confraternities In Colonial Potosi.
A Fugio Cent can be very valuable, but there are many forgeries and counterfeits, both modern and other. You might want to read that interesting article.
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| Fort Pierce South Beach Tuesay Morning. |
Here is a familiar scene. The crowds are enjoying the millions of dollars of new sand on Fort Pierce South Beach this Tuesday morning.
The surf remains flat as we get deeper into hurricane season. The surf chart shows no change coming soon.
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| Surf Chart from SurfGuru.com. |
There is undoubtedly some firecracker junk still out there to be picked up and hopefully a few nicer finds from the 4th of July crowds.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net