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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,569 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7941 Posts |
I've mentioned that one theme in my collection is coins with images of Christian saints. Of course, any such collection should, as a minimum, make an effort to have images of the 12 apostles, as well as a few other key luminaries of early Christianity like Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist and St. Paul. Some of these show up in the coins of many places (Peter and John the Baptist especially, Mary to a lesser extent). To the best of my knowledge, there is only one place that issued coins bearing an image of the apsotles Simon and Jude: Goslar Germany. Why are these saints affiliated with this place? Goslar was one of the main residences of the Salian dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors (11th century). At the behest of Henry III, the city built its cathedral between 1040 and 1051. The emperor's birthday was October 28, the same day as the Catholic feast day of Sts. Simon and Jude, so the church was consecrated in their names. When Henry died in 1056, his body was interred at the Cathedral of Speyer, but his heart in Goslar. Reverse: The standing saints, SANCTVS SIMON ET IVDAS. Simon on the right holds a bucksaw, the instrument of his martyrdom Obverse: Helmeted arms, MONETA NOV GOSLARIEN Saurma 3960   |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice coin history. I am also interested in this type of coinage, one reason why I collect Byzantine coinage is because of the religious connection.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
987 Posts |
Thank you for sharing this! It is very interesting. I will have to take some time and look through your other posts.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7941 Posts |
Quote:
one reason why I collect Byzantine coinage is because of the religious connection. And I need to move backward in time from medieval for the same reason. Edited by tdziemia
09/24/2018 8:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5174 Posts |
Very interesting coin! I wonder if you have already finished the 12 apostles set...
(Well, I doubt any coins ever featured Judas Iscariot, but I'm sure that Matthias would have shown up somewhere instead, so it comes out to 12 anyway.)
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Moderator
United States
34411 Posts |
@tdz, that is a great Groschen you have there. I especially like the somewhat gruesome image of the bucksaw--and after a little digging found this interesting summary of the iconography on the interwebs: http://www.christianiconography.info/simon.html"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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Pillar of the Community
United States
7941 Posts |
Quote:
I wonder if you have already finished the 12 apostles set... No, but I am close. As you mention, I don't think there is a coin with only Judas Iscariot, although any coin with the Last Supper would include him. St. Bartholomew is also missing, as far as I can tell. However, there is a coin of St. Matthias (also from Goslar). So I think the best possible set is 11. I am missing only James and John, who appear together on a medieval Papal States coin which does not come up often in auctions. Quote:
I especially like the somewhat gruesome image of the bucksaw- I hadn't realized that was what he was holding until I had the coin in hand, and ran across the same article. Often matyred saints hold a palm frond, but I am pretty sure this is a saw. As you know, there was no lack of gruesome medieval iconography, and some of it found its way to the diemaker's shop. We have St. Sebastian shot through with arrows on Ottingen's half batzens, St. Lawrence carrying the brazier on which he was roasted on the doppelschillings and thalers of Wismar, and ducats of Nurenburg, and St. Lucy holding a plate with her eyeballs on it (Mantova, I think). There is also a spectacular Swiss thaler with three saints holding their severed heads ... When I realized I'd never own one, I promptly forgot which city (maybe Zurich?) Edited by tdziemia
09/25/2018 4:23 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7941 Posts |
Since the question came up about finishing my set of the apostles, I will sneak this one in, though it is more "modern" than this forum would normally allow. To the best of my knowledge, St. Matthew appears on coins in only 2 places: some medieval follari of Bari, Italy (on which I have never seen a very good image of the saint), and a spectacular baroque piastra of Innocent XI (Papal States). The latter coin comes up at auction frequently, but the better examples get bid up to rather high levels. SO I decided to settle for this one from the recent Jean Elsen auction. The details are still good enough to appreciate the reverse scene which looks a bit like St. Matthew autographing one of his books for a fan (perhaps as the price of admission to heaven?  ). WIth this acquisition, I missing only one coin which features James and John. Papal States, Innocent XI (1676-1689) AN 1 = 1676. Dav. 4086, Munt. 41 KM393   Edited by tdziemia
10/10/2018 2:10 pm
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Seeing that it is keeping with the theme of the thread I'll allow it, but keep in mind the year 1600 is the cut off date.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,569 |
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Posted 09/24/2018 7:04 pm
