Commemorative 1628 Salzburg Taler

Wonderful coin....

Interesting First of all, I love the taler Zohar. Nice original surfaces like that are the most desireable coins IMO.

Regarding the "eye of God", I think that is indeed an interesting topic with quite a varied history. I have another taler with the eye of God on it (I will post a pic in another response). I googled eye of God and found some interesting odds & ends about it.

The Eye of God is an equilateral triangle with a single eye inside it and almost always with rays emanating from it. It symbolizes the omnipresence and omniscience of God, who watches over all things. It is also associated with the Trinity (which the triangle symbolizes in itself).

I found references that the symbol's history dates back to the Eye of Horus in Egyptian mythology, but contemporary culture generally associates it more with European history. In European superstition, representations of an eye tended to be avoided because of the association with the Evil Eye. Medieval example of the Eye of God are rare, but the eye of God started to appear in art during the Renaissance. It became common cultural iconography in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The relation to the Masons is interesting. The symbol has been connected with Masonic ritual, and some speculate that it was probably because medieval masons' guilds were dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Another author speculated that it was generally associated with the Trinity during the 17th & 18th century, and this is the period in which the Mason rituals started to evolved. The early Masons might have gravitated towards the symbol due to the frequent use of the number 3 in their ceremonies and rituals. It was officially adopted in 1797 as the All Seeing Eye.

More recently, in the 18th and 19th centuries it was used in Courts of Justice to remind judges of their responsibilities.

Here are a couple more examples of the Eye of God on other german state talers.

great coin Zohar!!

I can't look too closely or I might fall for them Take care!

Jim

Thanks guys. Zohar - my apologies for redirecting your post in the opposite direction!

Here are the reverse images of those 3 'eye of god' talers.

Grade from NGC came back, AU-58.

I agree that it is the nicest of the rest and very much in line with your Sede Vacante designs which are remarkable.