Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
Archaeologists in Russia have unearthed a medieval hoard of 2,600 silver coins, including more than 350 coins of a type never seen before. The hoard may have been buried by a nobleman who later fell victim to a plague.
The coins were found in an elegant ceramic jug...
Most of the silver coins are a type called a denga. Dengi were first minted in the late 14th century by the Grand Principality of Moscow...
more than 350 of the coins are previously unknown varieties minted in Kolomna, which experts are now studying...
Here is the link for the rest of that article.
2,600 silver coins found in the outskirts of Moscow may have been buried by a medieval plague victim | Live Science
Considering that these are 14th century coins from Russia, I'm struck by the familiarity. How many times have you seen some of those features. First there is the cross-like symbol in the center of the first coin. Then there is the legend around the coin. And a circle of dots. You've seen those features on Spanish colonial coins. And how often have you seen a bird featured on a coin? That is something you see on a fairly high percentage of coins back in history, but modern technology has made solid lines easier. Those dotted lines are one feature that has disappeared.
Considering that these are 14th century coins from Russia, I'm struck by the familiarity. How many times have you seen some of those features. First there is the cross-like symbol in the center of the first coin. Then there is the legend around the coin. And a circle of dots. You've seen those features on Spanish colonial coins. And how often have you seen a bird featured on a coin? That is something you see on a fairly high percentage of coins back in history, but modern technology has made solid lines easier. Those dotted lines are one feature that has disappeared.
Men of widely different places and times contain a mind that seems to share much in common. You can conceive of coins in very different shapes. I've found a few of other shapes. Cobs are not very round. Some are square - or at least squarish.
Below are a couple odd shape coins I've found. One is nearly square. It has rounded corners. I found both of those in St. Lucia. The are Caribbean States coins and show Queen Elizabeth. Even the square-ish one has a legend that circles around the queen's profile.
But the fact remains that in the history of coins, round is the norm and anything else is the exception.
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| Odd Shaped Metal Detector Coin Finds |
But the fact remains that in the history of coins, round is the norm and anything else is the exception.
Why is that? I've seen many reasons proposed, but only one of those seems very significant to me.
The rounded edges are easy to carry and maintain. Sharp edges tend to catch or tear other surfaces.
I've read that reales having very sharp corners had the corners intentionally folded or blunted so they wouldn't tear the bags. At least that is one interpretation. It seems that many still came through with sharp edges.
But my point is that coins are so routinely of the same shape that there must be a reason. The flat front and back allows marking the coin with a message, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were something deep in the human psyche that is consistent with the shape that is so characteristic of what we think of as a "coin."
Birds are very common, as are crosses, both of which suggest transformation and a duality of domains - heaven and earth. The essential thing about birds is that they, having as their domain the air element, mediate between the earthly realm and the heaven world. The alchemist in observing the flight of birds, recognized in them a picture of the human soul undergoing spiritual development.
The common forms that we see on coins go back much farther than a few centuries. Here are some coins from around the time of Christ. Here is an example of the type of coin that was referred to in
the verse about rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. (See Render unto Caesar - Wikipedia)
A couple thousand years ago we still see round coins, a legend that runs around the outer edge of the coin as well as the familiar circle of dots.
But there are other possibilities for the type of coin that was referred to in that verse. There were the "tribute" coins of Pilate, such as the one below.
Here we see the familiar ring of dots. I can't explain why that was such a common feature. I suspect that they were easier to produce with the tools available at the time, but there is also a wreathe on some of the coins, which might remind you of the wreathe on a wheat penny or any number of coins.
Pilate 's coins are Roman coins, the words on them are Greek, they were circulated in Judea, and today they are to be found distributed among world-wide collectors after having spent 2000 years buried in the earth. They were minted and used during a period which produced an event destined to change the face of the world, and issued at the command of one of the principal actors in that event. An amazing and dramatic destiny for apparently such humble and unassuming little coins...
The laurel wreath is a symbol of power and victory, and figures on various ancient Greek and Roman coins. In Judea it can be found during the reign of John Hyrcanus I (134 to 104 B.C.E.). After that, Herod Antipas, speaker for Pilate, used it on all his coins. On Pilate 's coins, the laurel wreath figures on the reverse side of the latuus, framing the date...
The legends on Pontius Pilate's coins are written in Greek. Judea, governed by the Ptolemy dynasty (301 to 198 B.C.E) then by the Syrians until 63 B.C.E, came under the same powerful influence of the Hellenic culture which touched the other territories of the ancient Persian Empire won by Alexander the Great. In spite of a certain amount of resistance, this Hellenistic heritage eventually crept into every aspect of daily life. Apart from the dates, the texts on Pilate 's coinage consisted of only three different words: - TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC (Of Tiberius emperor on all three coins; - IOYLIA KAICAPOC (Empress Julia) added to the coin of year 29...
The Laurel wreath is a symbol of power and victory, and figures on various ancient Greek and Roman coins. In Judea it can be found during the reign of John Hyrcanus I (134 to 104 B.C.E.). After that, Herod Antipas, speaker for Pilate, used it on all his coins. On Pilate 's coins, the laurel wreath figures on the reverse side of the lituus, framing the date
Overall, I'm left amazed by how little coins have changed over 2000 years, and I think there must be something more to it than practicality, aesthetics, or the lack of imagination.
Pontius Pilate - NumisWiki, The Collaborative Numismatics Project
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It seems I'm always hear about the KKK, but personally, I've seen more UFOs than KKK.
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| Source: nhc.noaa.gov |
Eduard has moved inland and there isn't anything else to watch on the Atlantic NHC map. It sure has been a slow storm season.
The Ttreasure Coast surf remains small.
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| Source: Surfguru.com. |
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net