Money makes the world go round but why are coins round?

here are some coins from India and Malaya which come in all sorts of sizes. 

on the left are older coins made in any shape! these are Byzantine, Afghan and India. 

 

 At the first meeting of the year we thought about dates. Not romantic ones but on coins. 

why are coins dated? 

1928 sixpence unusually had the letters AD with the date

        

What Year Did They Start Putting Dates on Coins?

According to The Guinness Book of World Records, a Samian Silver Tetradrachm struck in Zankle (modern-day Messina) in Sicily is the earliest coin with a date. It is dated year 1 (viz 494 BC) in the form of the letter ‘A’ at one end.

Some ancient coins have regnal years and others can be dated by reference to civic roles such as Consulship.

The same record reference book lists a Silver Penning  as the earliest Christian Era or AD-dated coin. This coin was struck and/or issued by the Bishop of Roskilde, Denmark. This silver coin features a bishop’s hat on the reverse and a crown on the obverse. It also includes the legends +ANNO DOMINI on the obverse and the AD date MCCXXXIIII (1234) on the reverse.

The Hungary Silver Denar with Madonna and Child (c. 1450-1620), is another coin with a date that is significant. This silver coin, among the first to show a full date, features an image of the Madonna, the Patron Saint of Hungary, holding the baby Jesus (reverse). The legend “PATRO HVNGA” (“Patron Saint of Hungary”) followed by the full date (year) surrounds the Madonna and Child image. It is not uncommon to find the date obscured—a result of crude coin manufacturing methods used at the time. The obverse features the Hungarian Royal Coat of Arms. Though coins had dates on them prior to the 13th century, coins using the calendar numbering system we use today did not appear until 1234 A.D.

The first dated coins in England were in two pattern shillings dated 1547 with mm ,Rose, is dated MCXLVII and dated MDXL7.

 

 

A  Brilliant Christmas

And an Uncirculated New Year

From

Oxford Numismatic Society 2024

Happy Christmas 

there are many seasonal themes for numismatics such as

Coins that show the nativity

Coins from the Holy Land

Modern commemoratives

Christmas Club tokens

and many more!

 Polling Day on Coins

Top photograph Illustration by kind permission of Noonan’s Mayfair

P. Nerva, Denarius, c. 113-112, helmeted head of Roma left, spear over shoulder, rev. voting scene within the comitium, 3.27g (Craw. 292/1; BMCRR Italy 526-8; RSC Licinia 7; RCV 169). Light scratch in field before face, otherwise very fine LOT 345 AUCTION 13 OCTOBER 2022 HAMMER PRICE £100

Great excitement! Britain had a General Election  on 4th July. Electors choose their representative and the leader of the party that can command a majority in the House of Commons is invited by the King to form a government. All very polite and businesslike. When the next election will be held, no-one knows as the length of parliaments are not fixed. Perhaps an essential difference is in Britain candidates stand for election and in America they run for office. Whatever the similarities and differences, democracy is a right and a privilege that people given their lives for.

The election made me think of numismatics (and why not?). This denarius features a voting scene. Not much technology here and the electorate in Ancient Rome was small, limited to wealthy men, but this coin celebrates voting. Two figures on a bridge or perhaps the same individual before and after an attendant handing the voter a ballot or token to indicate his choice.

The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space in Rome. The name comes from the Latin word for "assembly". The Comitium was at the northwest corner of the Forum. It was the location for much of the political and judicial activity of Rome and the meeting place of the Curiate , the earliest assembly of organised voting divisions of the Republic. During the Roman Republic, the Tribal Assembly and Plebeian Assembly met there. The Comitium was in front of the meeting house of the Roman Senate. The voting figures are set on a pons, (bridge) leading to the voting area. The bridge was placed there to isolate voters, I am not sure from the public or themselves.

This silver coin was minted in Rome, probably by Publius Licinius Nerva, in either 113 or 112 BC. Above the voting scene, is the inscription 'P. NERVA' referring to the moneyer. Above that is a bar on which stands a tablet bearing the letter P (too worn to see on this coin). Perhaps the letter P is a reminder who to vote for.

The obverse has ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma facing left, holding spear and shield, mark of value to left.

 Other coins that refer to elections include the pennies stamped with the words VOTES FOR WOMEN in the 1910s supporting the Suffragette movement.

second photograph

The 2003 50 pence coin commemorated the same campaign and in 2018 The Royal Mint released a 50p to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of The Representation of the People Act being passed. This legislation granted the vote to servicemen over the age of 19, to all men over the age of 21, and to women over the age of 30.

Some elections have been decided on the toss of a coin when the counting was too close to call.

I am sure there are other democracy and voting themed coins.

There are certainly tokens and medals issued by candidates and political parties. I'd be curious myself to learn of numismatic items related to voting itself. -Editor

Sources

• Wikipedia

• Foss. C., (1990). Roman Historical Coins, Seaby, London

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:

EXHIBIT: DEFACED! MONEY, CONFLICT, PROTEST (https://www.coinbooks.org/v25/esylum_v25n41a12.html)

BALLOT BOX ON ROMAN COIN (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n12a23.html)

LOOSE CHANGE: JUNE 23, 2024 : Biden-Trump Debate Format Settled by Coin Flip (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n25a24.html)

This article appeared in the E-Sylum on 1st July 2024

 Summer Time sports on coins

featuring golf, rugby and cycling from Isle of Man

weight lifting and basketball from Greece

Olympics from Russia

Football from Spain

Cricket from Isle of Man and Sri lanka

Sailing from USA

disabled sports from Vatican City. 

 

The Storming of the Bastille 14th July 

Paris was in a state of high agitation in the early months of the French revolution. In Spring 1789, the Estates-General refused to dissolve, transforming itself instead into a constituent National Assembly. In July, King Louis XVI called in fresh troops and dismissed his popular Minister, Jacques Necker. On the morning of July 14, the people of Paris seized weapons from the armoury at the Invalides and marched in the direction of an ancient Royal fortress, the Bastille. After a bloody round of firing, the crowd broke into the Bastille and released the handful of prisoners held there.

The storming of the Bastille signalled the first victory of the people of Paris against a symbol of the "Ancien Régime"

The Fête de la Fédération held on July 14, 1790, celebrated with great pomp the first Anniversary of the insurrection. Celebration of the anniversary was revived at the end of the Nineteenth Century after years of neglect.

Today, the festivities of July 14 are as popular as ever. In Paris, the traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysées is a meticulously planned spectacle, and

 

An interesting silver medal celebrating the 100^TH Anniversary but struck in Lima, South America. What was the link between France and Peru? Were there ex pats or immigrants or perhaps it was a political movement 

 

 

 

Smoke Farthings at Whitsun (Pentecost)

In mediaeval times there was an annual farthing tax on households which had a chimney, which was paid towards the upkeep of the local cathedral. On Whit Monday people walked in a procession to the local cathedral, or if that was far away to the main church in the vicinity, and they paid what was known as the Whitsun Farthing. Amersham in Buckinghamshire was one of the designated local churches for people to process to, but the inhabitants in nearby Chesham resented going all the way to Amersham. In 1454 they petitioned the Bishop of Lincoln to allow them to hold their procession to the parish church in Chesham instead. This was agreed provided they contributed 16 pence annually to the upkeep of the cathedral. After the Reformation the tradition was to collect farthing donations at a special Whitsun service for the upkeep of church buildings generally. This ancient tradition continued in Amersham and Chesham until 1960. In 1957 Christ Church Waterside in Chesham, collected 14,640 farthings; and Amersham parish collected 15,092 farthings. After 1961 when farthings were no longer legal tender the tradition died with it.

There are also references to Whit Farthings for Worcester Cathedral in 1656 and Southwell Cathedral in London in 1906.