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Question:

As far as the true cross tokens are concerned, Were they made from the whole cross or part of the cross and is there a way of determining authenticity? Is there dead give aways between fakes and the real Mccoy? I know these are pretty crude, and I am sure easily faked. I wonder how these coins don't sell for buukuu bucks seeing as though they are made from the the greatest relic of ancient times. I would love further info on the type.

Ski- Amazingly the constituents of the token - require an element of faith, therefore it's 110% cool any way you smelt it.

Although I also find the True Cross Tokens interesting, I'm sure the reason they don't sell for buukuu bucks and have collectors knocking each other over to get one are these questions -

- Was it really from the True Cross?

- Even if from the True Cross, is there any of the ash from it in the token you would buy?

The Cross wood splinter used by Heraclius for the True Cross Tokens was the Cross supposedly found by Helena, Constantine's mother. The Helena Cross finding story is very suspect. During her lifetime there were stories of all the things she found and did during her tour/expedition of the Holy Land.

But what is strange is that her finding the Cross was not mentioned during her lifetime. You would think that this miraculous feat would be at the top of the list and made known everywhere.

It wasn't until decades after Helena died that Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, 349-387, came up with a story that went something like this:

"Oh, and by the way, decades ago when Helena was here she actually found the True Cross! And I happen to have it! Here it is! Come to my church and venerate it."

Riiiiight.

And it was that Cross that ended up in the hands of Heraclius. So could the wood found by Cyril still be from the True Cross? The reader can decide. But for me there's too much shenanigans around the whole story to put much faith in it.


I will post some links with some info if anyone is interested. But even if one decides this True Cross wasn't true, the True Cross Tokens are still historically interesting and significant and cool.


Read pages 21 and 21, and especially the footnote 29.
Selling Jerusalem: Relics, Replicas, Theme Parks
http://books.google.com/books?id=P1...a%22&f=false


The True Cross (Separating Myth From History)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f...947300/posts

"So they say of the cross of Our Lord, which is shown publicly and privately in so many places,
that if all the fragments were collected together,
they would appear to form a fair cargo for a merchant ship."
Erasmus

Great find. How about starting a Byzantine silver coinage collection. They are much rarer than gold and bronze coinage.

Well with recent activity in the GTE with the Byzantine Emperors and a recent "first" Triskeles Auction win, I felt the need to "play" with my Byzantine coins. So after a considerable amount of time playing out I felt that the pictures of this OP did not adequately conveyed the true beauty of the coin. After many many many photographs, I chose this one. I am quite pleased.

oh yeah, I remember that one...very nice....and nice pic!