Coins have long served as more than mere tools of commerce; they are miniature canvases that encapsulate history, culture, and artistry. Across centuries, nations and empires have minted coins that are not only functional but also artistically significant; capturing the essence of their time and place in ways that modern currency rarely achieves.
While some of these nations have long since disappeared and been nearly forgotten, their coins still survive and deserve recognition as treasures of human creativity and ingenuity.
The Rise of Numismatic Art
Throughout history, coins have been a medium through which rulers proclaimed power, celebrated achievements, and expressed cultural identity. From the grand empires of antiquity to the fleeting states of recent history, the artistry imbued in coins tells stories of political ambition, religious devotion, and societal values.
The Hellenistic Kingdoms: Coins of Divine Elegance
Silver tetradrachm of Lysimachus
The coins of Alexander the Great’s successors, the Hellenistic kingdoms, stand as some of the most artistically significant examples in numismatic history. These coins often depicted finely detailed portraits of rulers in a godlike manner, merging human and divine iconography. For instance, coins minted under Lysimachus, one of Alexander’s generals, feature the image of Alexander adorned with the horns of Zeus-Ammon, symbolizing his godly status. The intricate craftsmanship and symbolism of these coins evoke both reverence and admiration for the artistic prowess of their creators.
The Byzantine Empire: A Golden Legacy
The Byzantine Empire, which spanned more than a thousand years, left behind a numismatic legacy characterized by striking imagery and religious themes. Byzantine solidus coins, minted in gold, often featured detailed depictions of emperors alongside Christian iconography, such as Christ Pantocrator or the Virgin Mary.
Byzantine Christ Pantocrator Gold Coin
These coins were not merely currency but also objects of devotion and propaganda, reflecting the empire’s intertwining of faith and governance. Their luminous beauty and meticulous designs continue to fascinate collectors and historians today.
Forgotten Nations: The Artistic Echoes of Modern History
While the coins of ancient empires often garner the most attention, currencies from more recent, defunct nations also offer profound artistic insights. These forgotten coins tell tales of fleeting sovereignty and shifting borders, encapsulating moments of cultural pride and resilience.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire: A Symphony of Cultures
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, a melting pot of diverse cultures, produced coins that reflect its rich heritage. Silver crown coins minted during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I showcase intricate designs that blend classical motifs with the empire’s distinctive symbols. The harmonious artistry of its coinage and currency is a testament to the empire’s complex yet unified character.
Austro-Hungarian 100-coronas (1908)
Coins from the Austro-Hungarian Empire often bore inscriptions in both German and Hungarian. This was reflective of the dual monarchy established by the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which recognized Hungary’s autonomy within the empire. For example, coins minted in Hungary during Franz Joseph I’s reign often included Hungarian inscriptions alongside German ones.
The Ottoman Empire: A Tapestry of Intricate Geometry
Ottoman Gold Coin of Sultani Sulayman
The Ottoman Empire, known for its architectural grandeur and calligraphic artistry, translated its aesthetic sensibilities into its coinage. Ottoman coins often featured elegant Arabic script and geometric patterns, embodying the empire’s Islamic heritage. These coins stood as not only a representation of monetary value but also as an extension of the empire’s artistic traditions, bridging the worlds of functional design and spiritual expression.
The Weimar Republic: Modern Art in Crisis
The Weimar Republic, marked by economic turmoil and political instability, nonetheless produced coins that reflect the artistic movements of the early 20th century. The designs of these coins often drew inspiration from Bauhaus and other modernist movements, showcasing sleek lines and geometric forms. While the republic itself was short-lived, its coins serve as reminders of the resilience and innovation that can arise even in times of hardship.
Coins of the Weimar Republic (1920’s – 30’s)
Conclusion
Today, these artistically significant coins from defunct nations and empires hold value far beyond their original worth. They are sought after by collectors, admired by art enthusiasts, and studied by historians. Their designs, often painstakingly crafted, provide a glimpse into the soul of their creators and the societies they represented.
Coins have long been more than mere instruments of trade; they have served as enduring symbols of power, authority, and ideology. From the ancient empires of Mesopotamia to the modern nation-states, rulers have harnessed the medium of coinage to disseminate political propaganda and immortalize their reigns. These small, tangible artifacts have transcended their economic function to become vehicles of communication, carrying messages of legitimacy, conquest, and cultural dominance across centuries.
The Origins of Coinage as Propaganda
The use of coins as a means of political messaging can be traced back to antiquity. One of the earliest examples comes from the ancient civilizations of Lydia and Persia, where rulers began issuing coins bearing their likeness or symbols of divine favour. The face of a king on a coin was not merely decorative—it was a statement. It affirmed the ruler’s divine right to govern and reminded subjects of their allegiance to a central authority.
Athenian Silver Owl (440 – 400 BC)
In the Greek city-states, coinage reflected not only the wealth but also the identity of the polis. The Athenian tetradrachm famously featured the owl of Athena, symbolizing wisdom and the city’s patron deity, alongside inscriptions that asserted Athens’ dominance in trade and culture. By circulating these coins throughout the Mediterranean, Athens projected its power and influence far beyond its borders.
Roman Coins: A Masterclass in Political Messaging
Perhaps no civilization perfected the art of propagandistic coinage quite like the Romans. From the Republic to the Empire, Roman rulers used coins as tools to consolidate power, celebrate military victories, and reinforce loyalty. Julius Caesar, for instance, was the first living Roman to have his portrait minted on coins—a bold move that signified his ambition and foreshadowed the transition from Republic to Empire.
Julius Caesar Silver Coin
The emperors who followed Caesar continued to exploit coinage as a medium of propaganda. Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, adorned his coins with images of Pax Romana, symbolizing the peace and prosperity brought under his rule. His successors, such as Trajan and Constantine, commemorated their military triumphs and religious policies through intricate designs and inscriptions. Constantine’s coins famously featured the Chi-Rho symbol, a Christian emblem, as a declaration of his support for the burgeoning faith and his vision for a unified empire under Christianity.
Pax Romana Coin of Caesar Augustus
Medieval Monarchs: Coins in the Service of Divine Right
During the medieval period, European monarchs used coins to assert their divine right to rule. Kings like Charlemagne and Alfred the Great issued coinage that featured Christian iconography—crosses, saints, and biblical inscriptions—to emphasize their role as God’s chosen rulers. These coins served dual purposes: economic and theological. They were tools of commerce and instruments of faith, reminding subjects of the divine order that legitimized monarchical power.
Umayyad Caliphate Silver Dirham
Islamic rulers, too, utilized coinage to assert their authority and religious identity. The Umayyad Caliphate, for instance, introduced coins bearing Arabic inscriptions, distinguishing them from the Byzantine and Sassanian coinage that had previously dominated the region. These coins were not merely currency; they were declarations of Islamic sovereignty, and the ideological shift brought about by the Caliphate’s expansion.
The Renaissance and the Age of Discovery
With the Renaissance came a renewed emphasis on art and humanism, which found its way into coinage. Monarchs like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England used coins to depict their portraits in increasingly lifelike detail, showcasing their wealth and power. These coins were often accompanied by Latin mottos that underscored their political philosophies and divine favour.
1754 Spanish Silver Pillar Dollar showing ‘Plus Ultra’ motto on two ribbons. The ribbon encircling the pillar is believed to be the origin of the modern dollar sign ($)
The colonial powers of the Age of Discovery also leveraged coinage to assert control over newly conquered territories. Spanish coins bearing the Pillars of Hercules and the phrase “Plus Ultra” symbolized the empire’s global ambitions and its expansion into the Americas. By distributing these coins in distant lands, Spain reinforced its dominance and the idea of a universal monarchy.
Modern Coinage: National Identity and Propaganda
In the modern era, coinage continues to play a role in shaping political narratives, albeit in subtler ways. The United States minted coins celebrating its founding fathers and national symbols, such as the bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty, to foster unity and patriotism. Similarly, Soviet coins featured imagery of workers and industrial progress, aligning with the ideals of communism and the glorification of the proletariat.
Even today, many countries issue commemorative coins to mark significant events, leaders, and milestones. These coins serve as reminders of national pride and historical achievements, ensuring that the messages of the state reach even the remotest corners of society.
A variety of national reverse designs for the modern Euro coin.
When the European Union introduced the Euro as a single form of currency for all 12 of its official members in 2002, the reverses of each Euro coin were uniform across the entire EU. But each Member Nation was allowed to create their own coin obverses, featuring national motifs and symbols.
Because euro coins circulated freely throughout the EU, the national obverses of Germany, Italy, Spain, and France could soon be found in markets in Ireland, Finland, Austria, and the Netherlands. But this only helped reinforce the message of European unity and strength through national cooperation.
The Power of Coinage in Historical Memory
Coins, though small and sometimes overlooked, have wielded immense power in shaping historical memory. They are artifacts of propaganda that encapsulate the ideologies, ambitions, and identities of those who issued them. As they passed from hand to hand, coins carried not just monetary value but also the weight of political authority and cultural influence.
By examining the history of coinage, we gain a deeper understanding of how rulers have sought to control narratives and consolidate power through one of the most enduring and universal mediums.
These minted messages, preserved in museums, archaeological sites, and private collections continue to tell the story of humanity’s political and cultural evolution.
When archaeologists unearth ancient coins, they’re not just finding currency—they’re uncovering miniature time capsules that can reveal surprising details about the civilizations that created them. Unlike many artifacts that deteriorate over time, coins often survive remarkably intact, preserving their messages across millennia and helping us reach back in time to directly touch their lives.
Perfect Messengers from the Past
Coins possess unique qualities that make them invaluable to archaeologists and historians. They’re officially dated, carry detailed imagery and powerful symbols, and they were usually mass-produced by central authorities and distributed across the lands ruled by that authority.
When a Roman emperor issued a coin proclaiming a military victory, for example, we have direct evidence of how the empire wanted that event remembered. Subsequent historians and even contemporary commentators may have interjected their own bias into their accounts. But the coins of the realm provide indisputable evidence of the ‘official’ tale – at least as the ruling powers wanted it represented.
Furthermore, the distribution patterns of coins tell stories that written records often miss. When Spanish pieces of eight appear in excavations across Asia, they help to map trade networks more accurately than any medieval document or shipping records. A single Byzantine solidus found in a Viking settlement speaks volumes about far-reaching economic connections.
Silent Emperors Speak
During the tumultuous Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE), the Roman Empire experienced rapid succession of rulers and civil wars. During this chaotic period, many emperors ruled so briefly (sometimes mere weeks or months) that traditional historical records either never documented them or their names were actively removed from all records over time. Coins bearing their portraits and names, however, have survived as tangible proof of their brief claims to power.
Some notable examples include:
Silbannacus – A complete mystery until the 1930s when a single coin bearing his name and image was discovered. Another coin was found in 2004. Beyond these two coins, we have absolutely no historical records of this emperor.
Domitian II – For centuries, historians considered him fictional until a single coin appeared in France in 1900. A second coin was discovered in 2003, confirming his brief rule around 271 CE as a rebel emperor.
Uranius Antoninus – A Syrian priest who declared himself emperor around 253 CE. Though mentioned very briefly in one historical source, our primary knowledge of his reign comes from his distinctive coins.
These “shadow emperors” demonstrate the remarkable historical value of numismatic evidence. When texts are silent, coins speak—preserving names, faces, and titles that would otherwise have vanished completely from historical record. Their survival also illustrates how thoroughly the Romans established their minting systems, where even short-lived usurpers quickly produced coins to legitimize their claims to power.
History Written in Metal
The true archaeological value of coins often lies in their unintended revelations. Consider the silver content analysis of Roman denarii, which shows gradual debasement—revealing economic stress long before written records acknowledged problems. Similarly, the wear patterns on coins show how long they circulated and how they were handled, providing insights into everyday economic life.
Spanish silver coins that were traded in Asia often feature ‘chop marks’ overstruck into their surface. This practice was particularly common amongst merchants who needed to verify the legitimacy of foreign coins in a market rife with counterfeits.
Coin hoards—especially emergency stashes buried during crises—create especially valuable archaeological snapshots. The Hoxne Hoard in Britain, containing 15,000 coins and buried around 410 CE, coincides precisely with Rome’s withdrawal from Britain. The newest coins in such hoards create terminus post quem dating (the earliest possible date) for whatever catastrophe prompted the burial.
Roman legions often buried their payrolls before a major battle (to avoid it falling into enemy hands if they were defeated.) To this very day, clay jars of Roman coins are still occasionally discovered during road or building construction projects.
Beyond Economics
Perhaps most fascinatingly, coins preserve cultural elements that would otherwise vanish. Religious symbols, architectural details of now-destroyed buildings, and portraits of rulers appear in miniature relief. The temple on Herod Agrippa’s prutah coin gives archaeologists architectural details of structures long reduced to rubble and bare foundations.
Coins also capture evolutionary changes in language, as inscriptions shift from Greek to Latin across the Mediterranean, or from Sanskrit to Arabic across Central Asia, documenting cultural transitions with remarkable precision.
Modern Archaeological Approaches
Today’s archaeologists apply advanced techniques to these ancient treasures. X-ray fluorescence reveals exact metallic compositions without damaging specimens. Digital mapping of find locations creates distribution patterns impossible to see before computerization. Each advance extracts more information from these tiny messengers.
For the dedicated numismatist and archaeologist alike, each coin represents far more than its face value—it’s a direct connection to the people who once held it, a microcosm of their economy, their art, their beliefs, and their identity. These miniature time capsules continue to speak volumes, one small disk at a time.
When considering Ionia on the west of Asia Minor’s Aegean coast (modern day Turkey) we are drawing our attention to the birth of coinage.
The kingdom of Lydia held much sway in this area giving protection to those city-states under its influence. It is the Lydian kings who are credited with innovating coinage and it is believed that the very first coins were made in one of these ‘vassal’ Ionian city-states.
In this area, rich in abundant agriculture, there was also an innovation of thought from the minds of figures like Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus and Pythagoras. Athens may take the crown as the cradle of western civilisation but Ionia can lay claim to having formed the basis of Greek philosophy and historical writing.
This school of Ionic rational thought cast aside the supernatural and fostered the study of geography, nature, and research into matter and the universe. It was a movement which, quite literally, dominated the intellectual life of Greece. Also permeating through the fabric of Greek culture was the Ionic language which became the basis of Koine or ‘common speech’, being found in practically all Greek writing, including the New Testament, right through to the modern day.
Ionic architecture, sculpture and bronze casting also made a mark upon the culture of ancient Greece too. The ‘Ionic migration’, as it was called by later writers, was dated to 140 years after the Trojan war and, according to Greek tradition, the colonists had hailed from the other side of the Aegean Sea.
A myth was woven into this migration in which the colonists were led by Neleus and Androclus, sons of Codrus, the last king of Athens. By the 8th century B.C. these settlers from the Greek homeland had confirmed their possession of the coastline and had consolidated themselves into 12 major cities; Phocaea, Erythrae, Clazomenae, Teos, Lebedus, Colophon, Ephesus, Priene, Myus, and Miletus on the mainland along with the islands of Chios and Samos in the eastern Aegean Sea. At a later date the prosperous city of Smyrna was also added to this list.
Each city joined together into a league known as the Ionic or Panionic League. This was a league which differed from most in that they were joined by religion and culture as opposed to politics and war. Each year a colourful festival would take place on the northern slope of Mount Mycale in Ionia called the Panionia. The festivities took place at a temple dedicated to Poseidon, the Panionium, meaning ‘of the Ionians’ and it was this celebration which gave to Ionia its identity as a distinct people of the Greeks.
Guinness, Gods and Greats
In the centuries B.C. Ionia would find itself a part of various empires after the Lydian kingdom fell to Cyrus the Great in 546 B.C. Cyrus’ conquered lands, known to history as the Achaemenid Persian empire, would, within 70 years, set a record which, to this day, is unsurpassed.
In 480 B.C. Xerxes I (of Hollywood movie ‘300’ fame) took the Achaemenid empire up to 44% of the world’s population with a whopping 50 million people all living within its borders. This is now recognised as a Guinness world record and a record of which the ancient Ionians were a part. It wasn’t to last and a precocious young king of Macedonia would take the Persian empire by storm and make it his own; none other than Alexander the Great.
After the Battle of the Granicus River took place in 334 B.C. all the western half of Asia Minor came under Alexander’s rule. Most of the Ionian cities submitted to him and enjoyed great prosperity, all except Miletus. Miletus, the only city in the Ionian League to deny homage to Alexander, was leveled after a long siege and never quite regained its previous splendour.
The majority of the Ionian League city states obligingly struck Alexander’s tetradrachms at their mints, a coin which today is one of the most easily recognisable of the entire ancient world. His successors and the kingdoms that they founded in the western part of Asia Minor would also strike coins at the Ionian city-state mints. The Antigonids, Seleucids and Attalids all ruled over Ionia before it came under Roman rule in 133 B.C., then becoming a part of the Province of Asia.
Under the Roman Empire the principal cities of Ionia experienced a revival of prosperity, and many of the impressive ruins on their sites date from that time. Ephesus, Miletus, Smyrna, and Chios were among the most splendid cities of the Roman world and continued to flourish in Byzantine times.
Our focus, however, is on the Ionian city of Teos, related by one ancient writer as the birthplace of Dionysus, god of entertainment, art and wine. Here at this thriving seaport was built in the third century B.C. the largest temple dedicated to the Dionysian cult in the ancient world. It was a magnificent structure built entirely in marble, a rock for which Teos was famous for in Roman times being quarried nearby and shipped to Rome until around 170 A.D.
In myth, Teos itself was said to have been founded by Athamas, after whom the city was originally named. Athamas was the descendent of a Boeotian king, also called Athamas, who, after falling into disfavour with the goddess Hera, was inflicted with insanity. It was the responsibility, placed upon King Athamas’ queen, Ino, by Hermes, to help raise the infant Dionysus. As already mentioned, Dionysus was omnipresent in Teos, becoming the city’s patron deity. Actors and musicians flocked to Teos and mixed with the priests of Dionysus’ temple who themselves were theatrical actors. A guild was created which provided paid performances in other cities. Known as the city of artists, Teos’ players guild was the first in history and so it seems appropriate that a musical instrument, in the form of a chelys, should appear on the city’s coinage.
Heavenly Strings
The chelys is known to most in modern times as a lyre and its origins lay deep in mythology with the personal messenger of Zeus and companion of dead souls to the underworld, Hermes. Hermes was born to Zeus and the Pleiad, Maia, who had joined in love in Maia’s luxurious cave. The infant Hermes was born the next day at dawn and immediately set out to make his mark on the world. Upon exiting his mother’s cave, he happened upon a tortoise and devised a plan to make a beautiful new instrument. Hermes hollowed out the tortoise shell, acquired some reeds, ox’s hide and sheep gut and behold, the first chelys had been created. Almost immediately Hermes had tuned the new instrument and was strumming a stream of enchanting songs in praise of his divine mother and father.
Soon after, the precocious baby became intent on other pursuits. Craving meat he hatched a plan to steal some of his half-brother, Apollo’s, sacred flock. In a stroke of deceptive genius, Hermes, under the cover of darkness, herded some of Apollo’s cattle backwards whilst wearing wicker shoes to cover his tracks. An old man in his luxuriant vineyard noticed Hermes carrying out his devious act. The infant god, aware of this, promised the old man a plentiful harvest and a quality batch of wine should he kept quiet.
Soon after, Hermes tended the cattle, slaughtered and skinned two of them before creating a fire and roasting the meat as an offering to the gods. Having made the ritual sacrifice, as one of the gods Hermes couldn’t eat the meat, only savour the aroma. Upon returning to his mother, Hermes tried to act like a helpless baby but his mother wasn’t fooled and so admonished him. His answer was sharp and clever, claiming that he would one day be the prince of thieves and win honour for them among the Olympian gods.
Apollo, upon realising the theft immediately set about finding the culprit. Luckily for Apollo, the old man at the vineyard hadn’t been wooed by Hermes’ promises and so revealed all when questioned. Apollo noticed an eagle with outstretched wings which conveyed to him that the culprit was a son of Zeus. This and a little detective work lead to Maia’s cave where Apollo confronted the baby god. Despite receiving a barrage of lies from Hermes, who explained the impossibility of his actions as he had only been born the previous day, Apollo wasn’t convinced. He wanted justice to be served so brought Hermes to Mount Olympus to answer to Zeus.
Zeus belly laughed upon hearing the excuses being put down before him by Hermes, he then ordered that Hermes, in his role as guide, lead Apollo to the stolen cattle. The orders were duly carried out and upon being reunited with his cattle, Apollo reconciled himself with his half-brother.
Hermes, perhaps with a hint of remorse, took his chelys and serenaded Apollo with songs so enchanting and beautiful that Apollo exclaimed it was definitely worth fifty cows! At this, Hermes gave the chelys to Apollo explaining that he should become a master of the musical art, and Apollo, in turn, gave Hermes a shining whip and put him in charge of cattle herds.
The two returned to Mount Olympus where Zeus united them in friendship. From this point onwards the chelys would become an everlasting signature of Apollo who wouldn’t be seen without it. Writers have alluded to the fact that among the Ionian city-states nowhere was Apollo more worshipped and revered than Teos. This would cause one to justifiably speculate that the chelys on Teos’ coinage actually represents the A-list Olympian god himself.
Griffin d’Or
Adorning the other side of Teos’ beautiful diobol silver coinage is a very regal looking griffin which, too, has a direct link back to Apollo. With the body, tail and hind legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, the griffin, or grypas in ancient Greek, combined the king of the skies and of the land into one creature. Apollo, as god of the sun, took these impressive beasts to be his own sacred companions, drawing his chariot majestically across the sky.
This image is actually depicted on a second century A.D. coin of the emperor Commodus from Lydia. The exalted status as the companion of a god was coupled with an association with treasure and priceless possessions. Various ancient accounts tell of a one-eyed people called the Arimaspians who fought with the griffins for the gold which they fiercely protected. It was said that griffins lay eggs containing golden nuggets and with their strong beaks they were easily able to locate and dig nuggets of gold from the earth.
Stories relate how griffins were sacred in India too. Here they were said to attack and defeat elephants and dragons but, as related in an ancient text by Greek teacher, Philostratus; ‘the tiger alone is beyond their powers of attack, because in swiftness it rivals the winds.’.
Other cultures also held the griffin as sacred way before one appeared on a silver diobol of Teos. Griffin-like hybrids with four legs and a beaked head appeared in ancient Iranian and Egyptian art dating as far back as before 3,000 B.C. Griffins appeared in the art of the Persians, sometimes being represented on jewellery as a protector from evil, witchcraft and even secret slander.
Staying with this theme, griffins were associated with another Greek god, Nemesis, the maiden goddess of retribution, proportion and avenger of crime. Just like Apollo, Nemesis rode in a chariot drawn by griffins. Nonnus, a Greek poet living in Egypt under the Roman empire wrote a particularly chilling mythological account of Nemesis paying a visit to Niobe, the boastful daughter of a Lydian ruler called Tantalos; ‘She (Nemesis) had harnessed racing Grypes (Griffins) under her bridle; quick through the air she coursed in the swift car, until she tightened the curving bits of her four footed birds, and drew up on the peak of Sipylos in front of the face of Tantalos’ daughter (Niobe) with eyeballs of stone.’. In this role, griffins were viewed as beasts of vengeance and they helped Nemesis to exact retribution right the way across the globe.
It was for this reason and for all the other attributes of majesty and power afforded to griffins by the Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and Indians that, to this day, they remain a staple part of the global cultural fabric. Griffins are represented in architecture, emblems, heraldry, logos, in computer games, films and cartoons, they are literally all around us!
It’s no coincidence that the famous author of Harry Potter, J.K.Rowling named one of the houses at Hogwarts ‘Gryffindor’. Not many people realise that this name is a representation of the French ‘griffin d’or’, meaning ‘golden griffin’. As a parting thought the griffin was also known as an animal of intense sexual power, sometimes mating with mares on heat resulting in a beast called a Hippogriff. Those in the know will be aware that a Hippogriff named Buckbeak was expertly ridden by Harry Potter in The Prisoner of Azkaban.
ARTICLE RECAP:
The Silver Griffin from the Land of Wine & Song
These coins were struck more than 2,300 years ago in Teos, an ancient Greek city located on an Ionian isthmus on the Aegean Sea. The city was famous for its wine and was famous its temple in honor Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and good times.
Mythical Griffin: This obverse of this coin features the mythological Griffin, a beast with the body, tail and back legs of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. In the lore of the ancient Scythians, Griffins were said to be fierce guards of their gold.
The coin’s reverse depicts a Chelys, an ancient musical instrument made from a tortoise shell. The symbolism of a musical instrument points to the focus on ‘wine, women, and song’ which the lusty Dionysus was infamous for.
The coin is also inscribed with the THI, which means “of the Teans” and ALYPION, the name of the magistrate responsible for minting and issuing these coins.
The ancient Greek city of Teos was once a vibrant trading port on the coast of Ionia (now part of western Turkey.) After being abandoned during a time of invasion, the town was later reinhabited and became known for its wine, exciting theater and its Temple dedicated to Dionysus – the god of wine, fertility and wild drunken revelry.
The Griffin is a mythical creature half lion and half eagle. Considered the king of all creatures, Griffins were associated with wealth, and they were believed to lay eggs that contained gold nuggets. The griffin was sacred to Apollo, to whom most of Ionian cities worshiped, but nowhere more so than in Teos, where the city’s population held Apollo in particularly high regard.
The Chelys: As already mentioned, Dionysus was Teos’ patron deity. Actors and musicians flocked to Teos and they mixed with the priests of Dionysus’ temple who themselves were theatrical actors, creating a guild which provided paid performances at other cities. Known as the city of artists, Teos’ players guild was the first in history. It seems appropriate, then, that a musical instrument in the form of a Chelys should appear on the city’s coinage. Because the instrument was closely associated with Apollo, it is also possible that it was chosen for the coin as a symbol of Apollo.
Rhodes, or Rhodos in Greek, meaning; ‘rose’, is an island in the southwestern Aegean sea and is part of a collection of islands known as the Dodecanese. The island covers around 540 square miles and is today one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations.
The island was once the jewel in the crown of ancient Greece, reaching a peak of maritime supremacy, cultural richness and commercial vigour during the classical and hellenistic periods. In 408 B.C. three established city-states on the island of Rhodes, Ialysos, Kamiros and Lindos, came together in a spirit of unity to found a new federal capital and port which they named after the island.
The new foundation of Rhodes was very deliberately situated on the northern coast in order to take advantage of the island’s best natural harbour. It was a city designed, as much as possible, to resemble Athens, that supremely successful city-state, home to the Parthenon and so many philosophical greats. Rhodes benefited from a well-constructed sewer system as well as a water supply network designed by architect and ‘father of European urban planning’; Hippodamus of Miletus.
Rhodes was embarking a high summer of success, bolstered by sea trade, skilled shipbuilders and open-minded politicians who kept the city prosperous right through to the domination of Rome in the 2nd century B.C.
Rhodes island held a particularly strong and dominating position at a cultural crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Africa and it was this tactical positioning on the major sea routes which would be the life-blood of its success. Rhodes city itself became an important stop on the trade routes linking the Greek cities in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) with the wealth of Pharaonic Egypt.
During the 330’s B.C., Alexander the Great had taken the island peacefully from the then overlords, Achaemenid Persia, and established a garrison of soldiers there. It’s said he was welcomed and a special cloak made for presentation. Over time this friendly bond, according to one source, led to the Rhodians becoming the executors of Alexander’s will, a disputed idea but a nice claim-to-fame if true.
The Pharaoh’s Loyal Ally
With the establishment of the eponymous Alexandria in 331 B.C, a strong and mutually beneficial bond had been formed between Rhodes and Ptolemy I of Egypt, a bond which caused unrest among Ptolemy’s enemies.
Alexander’s death had caused his empire to fragment and be fought over by his successors, known to history as the Diadochi.
Ptolemy was one such successor, a companion and historian of Alexander, who became Pharaoh of Egypt in c.305 B.C. thus establishing the Ptolemaic dynasty which ended with the famous suicide of Cleopatra in 30 B.C.. Another of the power-hungry Diadochus, Antigonus I Monopthalamus – ‘the one-eyed’, declaring war on Ptolemy, attempted to coax the Rhodians onto his side but they remained loyal to Ptolemy.
As a result, Antigonus sent his son, Demetrius, to take Rhodes by force. 200 warships, 170 transports carrying 40,000 men plus horses along with an allied force of pirate and privately owned vessels all descended on the island in 305 B.C. What ensued was a year-long siege of Rhodes city during which time the inhabitants defended themselves valiantly.
The culmination of this siege came in the building of a Helepolis or ‘taker of cities’ on the order of Demetrius. Reaching more than one hundred feet tall and weighing 160 tons, the Helepolis, an awesome wheeled siege tower, earned Demetrius the nickname Poliorcetes – ‘besieger of cities’. It was, at the time, an invention of mammoth proportions but it wasn’t enough.
With the help of Ptolemy and other members of the Diadochi, Lysimachus of Thrace and Cassander of Macedon, the Rhodians held strong and eventually repulsed Demetrius. An agreement was formed whereby Rhodes would support Antigonus but never carry arms against their ally, Ptolemy. In an act of reconciliation, Demetrius presented the Helepolis to the people of Rhodes. This act concluded one of the most significant events of the island’s history and gave rise to another.
A Colossal Claim to Fame
The entrepreneurial Rhodians sold the Helepolis and other siege equipment, weapons, armour and such like for a cool 300 talents. It’s very difficult to equate a talent into modern measurements but, at the time, this was equivalent to 1.8 million Attic silver drachms, each weighing 4.33 grams and thus totaling nearly 7.8 tonnes of silver! Far from being frittered away, this tidy profit was put to very good use by the Rhodians in honouring their patron deity, Helios, god of the sun and of sight and guardian of oaths.
For this era-defining victory, Helios was praised in gargantuan form. The Rhodians enlisted the help of one of their own, Chares of Lindos, pupil of famous sculptor, Lysippus, a favourite artist of Alexander the Great, to design for them a colossal statue of Helios in all his resplendent glory. Chares did not disappoint. In c. 280 B.C. he delivered his commission, a construction twelve years in the making.
It was a truly awesome sight which captured imaginations for centuries to come. According to one 2nd century B.C. engineer, Philo of Byzantium, the 33 metre high statue required 12 to 13 tons of bronze, an operation, he said; ‘…that involved the bronze industry of the entire world’. Modern historians generally agree that the statue was situated at the entrance to Rhodes’ harbour and so today two pillars stand at the entrance to the Port at the spot where the statue is believed to have stood.
Being such a monumental investment and project, the Colossus required a huge amount of funding over a period of 12 years. The coinage of Rhodes city began in around 408/7 B.C. with the introduction of a silver coinage bearing a deeply cut image and vigorous rendering of Helios, seen full-face with luxuriant hair, blown back by the wind as his chariot carried him, as the sun, across the sky. Helios’ imposing image was paired with that of a rose (a pun on the name of the city) and also the city’s ethnic; POΔION, meaning ‘of Rhodes’. Tetradrachm coins, worth four drachma, were the main denomination until later in the 4th century when the didrachm or two drachma silver coin became preeminent. Issues of these Rhodian coins were fairly regular with spikes in production correlating with construction projects or military engagements.
It was, however, the construction of the Colossus which instigated a spike in activity at the mint and, as such, these Rhodian didrachms financed its construction. From 304 B.C to c.265 B.C. an issue of coins depicting Helios in profile are thought to possibly portray the Colossus itself. If this is the case then the statue wore a radiate taenia or band of spikes, designed as if to be the gleaming rays of sunlight issuing forth from Helios’ head. Full facing didrachms featuring this new crown of sun rays were struck alongside the profile portrait didrachms and they too played their part in financing the era-defining statue which would, like the giant of world history that it was, stride its way into antiquity’s hall of fame as a wonder of the ancient world.
The Sun of God
Those who were able to see the Colossus in situ didn’t know how lucky they were. In 226 B.C., after towering over the harbour of Rhodes city for only 54 years, tremors from a powerful earthquake toppled the statue which, according to ancient writer Strabo, broke off at the knees.
It was not a good sign for the Rhodians who ritually honoured Helios every year by sacrificing four consecrated horses in an act of driving them over a precipice into the sea. This equine sacrifice was the culmination of the Halieia festival, a highlight of the island’s religious calendar with chariot races, gymnastic events and music contests.
In an act of solidarity, Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes ‘the Benefactor’ offered to pay for the Colossus’ reconstruction. The Rhodians, deeply concerned about such an ominous omen, had consulted one of the most powerful women of the classical world, none other than the Pythia, high priestess of the Temple of Apollo, most famously known as, the Oracle of Delphi.
In a trance-like state, fevered by the intoxicating gases billowing forth from the earth, the Pythia channeled the voice of Apollo himself and warned not to rebuild Helios’ Colossus. Taken as a sign that Rhodes’ patron god had caused the earthquake as retribution for their insolence, the Rhodians respectfully declined Ptolemy’s gesture. As such the Colossus lay in pieces, embedded in the ground where it fell for a number of centuries. It remained a wonder which drew in the curious from far and wide.
Roman author and friend of Emperor Vespasian, Pliny the Elder, wrote in the 1st century A.D.; ‘Even as it lies, it excites our wonder and admiration. Few men can clasp the thumb in their arms, and its fingers are larger than most statues. Where the limbs are broken asunder, vast caverns are seen yawning in the interior. Within it, too, are to be seen large masses of rock, by the weight of which the artist steadied it while erecting it.’. For 880 years the Colossus lay broken in the earth, an apparition of its former glory.
In 654 A.D. Arab invaders, Ummayad Muslims, led by caliph Muawiyah conquered Rhodes and completed the job which the earthquake had begun centuries before. Muawiyah’s forces broke the statue up and transported the hacked bronze pieces to Syria where they were sold to a Jewish merchant. It’s reported in a number of sources that the bronze was carried away by upwards of 900 camels and then may have been used to make coins, tools, artifacts and weapons. Centuries later, in a case of mistaken identity, the extant Rhodian didrachms would become much revered religious relics.
The religious houses of Christian Europe saw in Helios’ portrait an image of the Passion of Jesus Christ whereby the son of God was adorned with the crown of thorns. These coins, it was believed, were the very biblical coins, thirty pieces to be exact, that Judas Iscariot received upon betraying Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Alas we know this not to be the case but it’s an entertaining historical footnote to behold.
A Statue for Liberty
While the production of Rhodian silver coins bearing the image of Helios came to an end during Roman domination in the 1st century B.C., it’s the legacy of these coins that really brings them into a league of their own.
These were coins made by the very people who built the Colossus and saw it with their own eyes. To the Rhodians these coins represented life and liberty. On the subject of Liberty, one can fail but notice the more than passing resemblance between Helios and Auguste Bartholdi’s masterpiece, Liberty Enlightening the World, more commonly known as the Statue of Liberty.
The French sculptor is known to have been inspired by the story of Rhodes’ colossus, an inspiration which took the beaming rays of Helios’ crown and placed them on Liberty’s head. Rhodes’ coins survive as relics of this source of inspiration, the original blueprint of freedom personified.
To raise money for Liberty’s pedestal, American poet, Emma Lazarus, wrote a sonnet called ‘The New Colossus’ in 1883, a poem which would, in 1903, very appropriately be cast onto a bronze plaque and mounted inside Liberty’s pedestal.
In words that would be equally applicable to Liberty herself, an ancient eulogy in praise of Helios from the Greek Magical Papyri, beautifully expresses the colossal importance of his celestial body; ‘the earth flourished when you shone forth and made the plants fruitful when you laughed and brought to life the living creatures when you permitted’.
British numismatic historian, Justin Robinson, takes us on a fascinating journey spanning 2000 years as he examines how the powerful symbol of Britannia changed and evolved over the centuries.
The Polish Constitution of 3 May was adopted 230 years ago. Thomas Jefferson, who then served as an American envoy in Paris and later became the President of the USA, stated that there were only three constitutional acts that deserved recognition: those of the United States, Poland and France. The introduction of the May Constitution was one of the most momentous events in the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and an attempt at defending its independence. Unfortunately, the joy was short-lived. In 1792, a confederation of conservatives opposing all reform appealed to Empress Catherine II to intervene. The Russian army entered Poland, and the end of the Commonwealth drew near.
3 May 1791 – Sejm Proceedings under Military Escort
Faced with the progressive limitation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s sovereignty (following the first partition in 1772) and a growing dependence on Russia, patriots started calling for reform. A chance to introduce them arrived during the Great Sejm (1788-1792). The confederated Sejm (which could not be broken off) culminated in the adoption of the Constitution of 3 May 1791.
The legislation was passed in a controversial manner, in circumstances that could be likened to staging a coup. The proceedings were held two days before the planned date, thus a number of MPs and senators (including many conservative) were not in Warsaw at the time. The army surrounded the Royal Castle, where the Sejm congregated, in order to quell any possible unrest. Military men disguised as valets guarded the members of the progressive patriotic faction. Marshal of the Sejm Stanisław Małachowski was given special protection.
Jan Matejko, The Constitution of 3 May 1791, 1891, the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Source: Wikipedia
The session was heated from the very beginning. Everyone was aware of the gravity of the moment. And although patriots had the advantage, their opponents did not want to surrender without a fight. Member of Parliament Jan Suchorzewski, who opposed the reforms, even proclaimed that he would sooner kill his son than let him live under the oppression that the country was about to experience.
Amidst noise and nearly theatrical scenes, the king and the Marshal of the Sejm strove to have the Constitutional act ratified. The draft for the document had been prepared in secret by a team which included King Stanisław August, Stanisław Małachowski, Ignacy Potocki, Hugo Kołłątaj and others, aided by the royal secretary Scipione Piattoli.
Marcello Bacciarelli, Portrait of Stanisław August in a Feathered Hat, after 1780, the National Museum in Warsaw
Changes Introduced by the May Constitution
The Constitution comprised eleven articles. It acknowledged the Roman Catholic creed as dominant, but guaranteed the freedom of practicing other religions. The nobility was to keep their privileges and prerogatives, with the exception of the infamous ‘liberum veto’, which allowed any single member of parliament to cause an immediate termination of the ongoing session. The Constitution also upheld the provisions of the Free Royal Cities Act adopted on 18 April 1791, which granted townspeople the right to send their representatives to the Sejm, guaranteed their personal freedom and allowed them to purchase land estates and hold public office, thus offering a path to social advancement to a substantial section of the society. The issue of the peasantry was also tackled. While not granting peasants any specific rights or freedoms, the Constitution was the first act to acknowledge them as a part of the civic community, alongside the nobility and townsfolk.
The Commonwealth was to be governed in accordance with the principle of the separation of power, divided into the legislative (the Sejm), the executive (the king and the ‘Guardians of the Law’) and the judiciary branch. A bicameral parliament was established; it was to convene on a biannual basis. Laws would be passed by a majority vote. It was also expected that a Constitutional Sejm would be held every twenty five years, to introduce necessary amendments to the Basic Law.
The king held executive power together with ‘Guardians of the Law’, i.e. his government. Aside from the monarch and the primate, the body was to comprise five ministers, responsible for Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Police, Treasury and War. The ‘Guardians’ were appointed by the king. The Constitution also abolished royal elections in favour of hereditary monarchy. After the death of Stanisław August, the throne was to pass to the House of Wettin. If the king happened to be underage, the ‘Guardians of the Law’ were to act as regents, led by the queen or, in her absence, by the primate of the country.Lastly, the Constitution introduced changes to the judicial system. Courts of first instance would be established in all voivodeships, lands and counties. The choice of judges lay with local assemblies (sejmiki). Additionally, each province was to have a Supreme Tribunal, which served as the court of appeal.
Johann Georg Holtzhey, Medal to Commemorate the Constitution of 3 May, Amsterdam 1791, the National Museum in Krakow / the Princes Czartoryski Museum Johann Georg Holtzhey, Medal to Commemorate the Constitution of 3 May, Amsterdam 1791, the National Museum in Krakow / the Princes Czartoryski Museum
The Dutch Medal Presented to the King of Poland
The adoption of the Constitution was an event that reverberated both within the country and worldwide. Such a momentous occasion had to be commemorated in a fitting manner – and, indeed, it was, not only by publishers and artists producing propagandist prints, but also by medallist.
A unique work of the art of medal-making was created in Amsterdam in 1791. Rich in symbolic depictions, the coin was minted to honour King Stanisław August Poniatowski, and was presented to him as a gift. The donators were citizens of the United Provinces (the Netherlands), by the names of Gülcher and Mülder. A Warsaw-based banker Piotr Blank acted as an intermediary, making sure that the king received the gift.
The donators enlisted the services of an excellent Dutch medallist Johann Georg Holtzhey (1729-1808), master of the mint in Amsterdam and Utrecht.
Holtzhey designed the obverse of the medal to feature an elegant royal portrait of Stanisław August. In an interesting propagandist move, he chose to adorn the king’s head with oak leaves instead of the more typical laurel. In Ancient Roman tradition, an oak wreath was granted as a reward for extraordinary civic merit. Aside from the king’s customary titles (“Stanisław August, z Bożej łaski król Polski i wielki książę litewski” [Stanisław August, by the Grace of God King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania]), the legend around the rim of the coin included the phrase “PATRIAE PARENS” [Father of the Homeland].
The main motif on the reverse is the quartered coat of arms of the Commonwealth (with the Poniatowski family crest – Ciołek), depicted on a globe-shaped field, topped with a mural crown and a Christogram (to signify religious tolerance). Beside it, a winged genius holds a Phrygian cap (a symbol of freedom) in his right hand, and an olive branch and a caduceus in his left. The broken shackles depicted at the genius’ feet represent foreign violence.
The background features sunbeams and the eye of Providence keeping watch over the citizens’ endeavours. To the left of the coat of arms, the medallist depicted a fasces, scales and the sword of justice, to represent fair and equal judgment for everyone in the country. The surrounding inscription reads: “TERRORE LIBERA” [Free of Fear]; the one beneath the main motif is: “EX PERHONORIFICIO COMITIORUM DECRETO D.III MAY MDCCXCI” [By Honourable Decree of the Assembly on 3 May 1791].
Treason at Targowica
The May Constitution was a short-lived act. In 1792, opponents of the reforms formed a conspiracy that led to a Russian intervention. A group of magnates, among them General of Artillery of the Crown Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki, Great Crown Hetman Franciszek Branicki and Field Hetman Seweryn Rzewuski, met at Targowica in Ukraine to establish a confederation that would defend the freedoms they believed Constitution to violate.
Their actions were enthusiastically welcomed by the Russian Empire, which – having signed a peace treaty with Ottoman Turkey – sought to reinstate its weakened influence over Poland. Empress Catherine II happily assumed the role of ‘protector of freedom’ and deployed nearly 100,000 troops to Poland to “aid the common cause of restoring to the Commonwealth its rights and privileges”. This was the beginning of the Russo-Polish War of 1792, a conflict that would hasten the demise of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
‘Targowica’ crown thaler, Warsaw 1793, the National Museum in Krakow / the Princes Czartoryski Museum
These painful events were commemorated on a medal coin, the so-called Targowica thaler, issued in 1793 at the initiative of the confederates. Unusually, the obverse did not feature the likeness of the king, only a propagandist inscription glorifying the ‘patriotic’ deeds of the confederation: ”Obywatelom, których miłość kraju powodowała, że starali się bronić wolności polskiej, zniszczonej przez spisek z dnia 3 maja 1791 r. – Rzeczpospolita powstająca” [To the citizens whom love of their country prompted to defend Polish freedom, destroyed by the conspiracy of 3 May 1791 – the Commonwealth Rising]. The message was additionally reinforced by the wording of the inscription around the rim: “Wdzięczność współobywateli przykładem dla potomności” [In gratitude to fellow citizens to set an example for posterity].
The reverse also differed from that of standard thaler coins. Instead of the coat of arms, it depicted the following inscription: “Postanowieniem Rzeczpospolitej skonfederowanej w dniu 5 grudnia 1792 r. za panowania Stanisława Augusta” [By decree of the Confederated Commonwealth on 5 December 1792, during the reign of Stanisław August].
The Grodno Sejm, the last session of parliament in the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, held in 1793 with ‘encouragement’ from the Russian army, ratified the second partition of the country and nullified the May Constitution. The final attempt at saving Poland’s independence came in 1794, in the form of an uprising led by general Tadeusz Kościuszko. The insurrection was suppressed by Russian forces; and one year later Poland ultimately disappeared from the map of Europe.
Marcin Brzezinski is a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw. He is interested in the history of Polish aristocracy and old photography. Author and co-author of several books, including: “Adam and Jadwiga Czartoryski. Photographs and Memories” (2013), “Stanisław Kazimierz Kossakowski. I love photography” (2019). Co-creator of historical exhibitions, including: “For here we do not have an enduring city – a story about palaces on the Royal Route in Warsaw” (2010). He has been cooperating with the National Treasury (Skarbnica Narodowa) for several years. The area of his numismatic interest is primarily historical Polish coins.
Do coins have the power to bring GOOD LUCK? For centuries, many have believed this to be true. There are countless stories of how coins have ensured fortune and luck (and in some cases, the loss of a coin has led to failure and even disaster!) While your choice of a personal good luck charm remains completely up to you, let’s examine SEVEN of the most popular lucky coins around the world.
1. The Silver Sixpence (Great Britain)
In Great Britain, the Lucky Sixpence appears in the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence as well as the tradition of hiding a Sixpence inside each British child’s Christmas Pudding to bring good luck for the new year.
Even better known is the mention of this coin in the famous wedding rhyme: “Something borrowed, something Blue, and a Sixpence for her shoe.” For centuries, brides have been wearing a sixpence coin in their shoes in the hope that their marriage be filled with prosperity and good luck. For that reason, British sixpence coins are among the most popular wedding gifts for brides.
2. The Lucky Irish Penny (Ireland)
The Lucky Irish Penny was minted in Ireland from 1928-1968. In 1926, as designs were being considered for this new coin, Irish poet William Butler Yeats was named the design committee’s chairman. Ultimately, the committee selected a design of the Irish harp, which traced its origins to a coin first issued by Henry VIII in 1534. The coin’s reverse side, it was decided, would feature a hen and chicks design as a tribute to Ireland’s tradition of agriculture.
These coins were first minted in 1928 and continued to be issued virtually unchanged until 1968. Struck in copper, each coin weighs approximately an ounce. The coin’s inscription is in Gaelic, the native language of Ireland.
Large and relatively inexpensive, the Lucky Irish Penny is a popular good luck piece carried in pockets throughout the world.
3. Leap Year Mercury Dimes (United States)
Many gamblers across the U.S. swear by the luck of the leap year Mercury Silver Dime. This widespread superstition likely stems from an overall belief in the power of silver coins coupled with Mercury being the god of “the crossroads” or fate, as well as chance. The leap year dates that occurred during the run of the Mercury Dime series are 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944.
The belief in the Leap Year Mercury Dime is particularly ironic, however, since this silver dime has long been misidentified as depicting the Roman god Mercury, when it actually features Lady Liberty wearing a winged cap – symbolizing freedom of thought.
4. The Five-Yen Coin (Japan)
Many Japanese people believe in destiny. The term “go-en” (ご縁) refers to those seemingly serendipitous encounters that result in long and meaningful relationships. The Japanese 5-yen coin is also called “go-en” 五円. Because it sounds the same as the “go-en” of destiny, many Japanese people believe that holding a 5-yen coin will help them discover what the Universe has in store for them. This could involve finding soulmate spouse, a perfect job, a dream home, or many other facets of life.
Similarly, 5-yen coins are commonly placed into offering boxes at shrines while one utters a prayer of thanks, followed by a wish for something in the future (always in that order). Because this belief all ties back to destiny, a 5-yen coin is seen as simply helping along the good luck and the serendipity that is actually always meant to be!
5. Vault Protector/Cash Coins (China)
In China, “cash coins” featuring a square hole in the middle hold a special meaning. The square in the centre represents the four corners of the Earth while the outer circle shape symbolizes the heavens around it. In ancient China, money was often frequently carried on strings rather than in purses. These coins are also often worn around the neck with a red ribbon as amulets to fight off negativity and illness.
Certain large and heavy cash coins are known as “Vault Protector” coins. Created only for special occasions, Chinese mints would sometimes cast large, thick, and heavy coins with a square hole in the centre. These coins were not for circulation – but instead occupied a special place at the treasury. The treasury had a spirit hall, where offerings could be made to gods such as the God of Wealth. These special coins would often be hung with red silk through their square hole, suspended above the incense table. They were called Vault Protector coins because they were believed to have charm-like powers to protect against evil and disaster, thus ensuring good fortune, prosperity, and wealth.
Giving a gift of Chinese cash coins ensures that the receiver is granted your wishes of wealth, prosperity and happiness.
Touch Pieces are coins that have been touched by rulers, monarchs or other powerful beings who are believed to hold their authority directly from God. Touch Piece coins were extremely auspicious and are said to have demonstrated healing powers.
Actually, this practice dates back to the Ancient Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Vespasian (69-79AD) is reported to have initiated ceremonies during which he would hand out coins to the sick. This ceremony became known as “The Touching”.
Centuries later, the Kings and Queens of England and France embraced this practice – holding regular touching ceremonies up through 1714. The fact that an angel appeared on some British coins from the time of Henry VIII onward further cemented the tradition of the healing coin from the hand of your monarch. The British tradition of Maundy Money may have derived from this overall custom, as it features the monarch gifting specific subjects with token gifts of silver coins.
Of course, it wasn’t just about royalty. Clergymen were also known to hand out or even sell healing coins during ceremonies which were said to bring healing powers to the believer. There are many contemporary accounts of people being cured by this method. In a convenient bit of rationale, those who remained ill were accused of not having enough faith.
7. The Gold Angel (France)
As we have just seen, coins with angels on them have been treasured as tokens of good luck, health, and fortune. If a King or Queen handed an angel coin to a subject, it would often become a family heirloom – being handed down through the generations.
The legend of the Lucky French Gold Angel, however, has an even more dramatic start. During the French Revolution, Augustine Dupré, was standing on the platform waiting in line to lose his head to the guillotine. In his pocket, Dupré carried a gold coin that he himself had engraved, a French Gold Angel. He believed that carrying the coin with him would protect him from evil and danger. Sure enough, faced with the dire prospect of the guillotine, the Angel delivered him!
Legend holds that moments before his execution, a huge thunder roared and lightning struck, scaring the executioner and delaying the planned execution. Before it could be rescheduled, Dupré was granted a pardon – and thus the Gold Angel saved his life.
Inspired by this tale, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte also carried a Lucky Gold Angel—but legend reports that he lost his coin just the day before the Battle of Waterloo. We all know the outcome of that battle!
Dupré’s angel design was revived from 1871 to 1898 on 20 Franc and 50 France gold coins. The coin’s legend continued into the 20th century, with sea captains and fighter pilots in both World Wars believing the coin brought them luck and protection.
SPECIAL BONUS: Personal Lucky Charm Coins
The above list details some of the most popular and longstanding lucky coins from around the globe. But you may, in fact, find your own lucky coin(s) quite a bit closer to home.
Commonly, coins dated from your birth year or other significant milestone in your life are believed to be lucky. Also, if you are from an immigrant background, treasuring a coin from the country your parents or grandparents came from is often considered a way to ensure good luck, prosperity and fortune.
No matter what the source, look around you today and see if you can’t pocket a special coin to bring you luck, prosperity, and happiness!
Steve Wolff is an American numismatist, writer, and video producer who has spent over 20 years sharing the fascinating stories behind coins and the historical events and personalities that inspired and shaped them.
