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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,296 |
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New Member
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
Hi folks, I am after your expertise in identifying this coin that I found today while exploring the Thames riverside in London today. I have made attempts to try and find information or similar examples with no success. Aside from recognising the Asian characters and what I assume to be Indian numerals (in the grid pattern) I have gotten no closer to ascertaining what it is or where it is from. Any help you can offer would be gratefully received! (EDIT: It has just occurred to me that I may have the grid side upside down in the photo, but it's late so I will fix it another time if necessary, sorry!)  Edited by BGDAVIS
05/17/2016 4:36 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
BGDAVIS,  to CCF. Let me say I know beans about this coin/ medal or... but, it is very interesting. Quote:
this coin that I found today while exploring the Thames riverside in London today. This makes it more interesting. Was it a metal detector find? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5246 Posts |
It is modern, and unlike any coin I have seen, and I have seen many, so I suspect that it is not a coin. This is just a hunch, but I think that the key may be this numerical grid. Determine which number is in each square and add the rows and columns. This is upside down and some of the numbers are hidden in the crud, so I cannot do this myself.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
These are modern, and always found by water. We've had them here before and I hope someone with a better memory can find the older posts.
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5174 Posts |
The grid is almost certainly a magic square. (Unusual to see one that isn't the traditional 1-9.) Also almost certainly upside down. The numerals appear to be the ones that the Wikipedia article gives as "Modern Devanagari"; with that in mind, my best guess at the square... 12 7 14 13 11 9 8 15 10 It sums to 33 on each column, row and diagonal. (Incidentally, I'm 99% sure this was not a coin, but a token of some kind - but I have no idea of more specific origin either.) EDIT: The only obviously related older post I found. Similar - though not the same - and indeed by water. (Also unexpectedly similar OP username, incidentally. But that's probably just sheer coincidence, and not actually related to the tokens' actual story.) Edited by january1may
05/17/2016 6:09 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
My guess is that it is a gaming counter, probably of Victorian vintage.
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Moderator
 United States
34423 Posts |
Quote:
We've had them here before and I hope someone with a better memory can find the older posts. try this one: https://goccf.com/t/198889"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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New Member
 United Kingdom
2 Posts |
Quote:
The grid is almost certainly a magic square. (Unusual to see one that isn't the traditional 1-9.) Also almost certainly upside down.
The numerals appear to be the ones that the Wikipedia article gives as "Modern Devanagari"; with that in mind, my best guess at the square...
12 7 14
13 11 9
8 15 10
It sums to 33 on each column, row and diagonal.
(Incidentally, I'm 99% sure this was not a coin, but a token of some kind - but I have no idea of more specific origin either.) Thanks everyone for your input, it would seem that I went wrong on my search in the first critical point - that it is not a coin but a religious token! I did actually ascertain all the same numbers that you pointed out (so I feel at least a little accomplished) - but I've never encountered a magic square before and was thinking in dates/values, so didn't get any further than that. Thanks to your help I have now read that modern Hindu offerings are often found in the Thames, so it seems likely that that is the origin. I did fancy the idea that is was some old currency, because it does look it, but it's a still sufficiently interesting find in itself! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
I have seen a few similar ones before posted here. I did not find a definitive answer (the only websites on the subject are either a passing reference, or so in depth and jargon-laden as to be inaccessible to anyone but a practicing Hindu), but it appears that the sum number (33) would correspond to a specific deity, and these tokens would be cast as a ritual offering. The fact that this coin depicts the deity is helpful. Try Yama: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama_(Hinduism) |
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,296 |
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Posted 05/17/2016 5:40 pm
