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Okay, I'm Stumped... Help!

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saxdiva's Avatar
United States
6 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  03:20 am Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add saxdiva to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I've been able to figure out the origin of most everything I've run into so far, but this one is eluding me. It came in a lot of cheap world coins I bought on ebay.

By the way, sorry for the bad photos--if anyone needs better ones, I can work on that tomorrow. Also, I don't know if this helps, but the coin is about 16mm in diameter.

Thanks in advance!

Okay,-I'm-Stumped...-Help!

Okay,-I'm-Stumped...-Help!

Pillar of the Community
Bacchus2's Avatar
United Kingdom
2893 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  03:56 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Bacchus2 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Hi,

Tt's not really a coin. It's most likely some sort of Islamic pilgrimage medal.
Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  04:49 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add thai-vic to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The building looks to be Christian, note the crosses on top of the two front and central towers.
The holding hands with a third placed on the top and then the triangle above suggests a cloth. The only thing I can think of is a connection to a marriage. The 'squiggles' below the hands have a South-east Asian look about them. The 'church also has that colonial look which might also make it Central/South American.

So I'd take a stab at a wedding medallion.
Edited by thai-vic
03/23/2012 04:50 am
Bedrock of the Community
sel_69l's Avatar
Australia
21788 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  06:03 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The building looks a bit like the old
Amsterdam Bourse (Stock Exchange) Building to me.

The only way I could guess at the script on the reverse would be consistent with the obverse is that (the scipt) is Indonesian. Not all of the 'script' on the reverse is script. Some of it looks like part of a wreath.

Therefore, perhaps this piece could allude to the Batavian spice trade.

At least I have intrigued myself.
Edited by sel_69l
03/23/2012 07:14 am
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Sap's Avatar
Australia
16868 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  07:01 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I'm not seeing any script or squiggles, just some wreaths. As others have said, it's a token or medal of some kind, not a coin.

With all the crosses, it's definitely a Christian church on the obverse. But the "minarets" make me think it might be a Spanish or Spanish-influenced church. The Mexico City Cathedral seems to fit the bill nicely, as far as general design and layout goes, though it actually only has two "minarets" rather than the four pictured on the token.

Best guess: a Baptism or First Communion memento.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  07:43 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add thai-vic to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
There is a front to a building in Panama City, Panama that is very similar with the two front towers and the shape of the central facade. I think the location is the Plaza de la Indepenzia but I can't for the life of me track down a decent link to show it.
Valued Member
ZiggyZ's Avatar
United States
162 Posts
 Posted 03/23/2012  1:16 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add ZiggyZ to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
This is a Mexican "Arras token" also known as a "recuerdo matrimonial" coin or token, exchanged as part of a wedding ceremony. The first image is upside down - it is clasped hands in front of a heart. The website I saw identified the church as the old Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico city, which makes sense and is a good match. It is a common design on these tokens.
New Member
saxdiva's Avatar
United States
6 Posts
 Posted 03/25/2012  10:23 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add saxdiva to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Awesome--thanks for the detective work! No wonder I couldn't find this in any of the world coin references I had.
I guess I should give this one to my husband, eh?
Rest in Peace
biggfredd's Avatar
United States
9104 Posts
 Posted 03/25/2012  11:24 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add biggfredd to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
, saxdiva!
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