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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,594 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7936 Posts |
In some parts of northwest Europe, St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 5 or 6) is almost as important as Christmas. And since St. Nicholas has something to do with the broader tradition of Santa Claus ... Several places in western Europe have St. Nicholas as their patron saint, and issued coins with his image looking very much like the bishop that he was, wearing a peaked mitre, and carrying a crozier. None of them are very common. - The city-state of Kampen in the Netherlands issued a thaler: https://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotv...01c3e4c71df7- The Swiss canton of Fibourg issued a 1 batzen coin in the 1620s through 1640s: https://www.NGCcoin.com/price-guide...duid-1549657- And the Silesian pincipality of Cieszyn (Teschen in German) issued a 1 groschen coin in 1560 (not a coin I own ... yet):  But the coin with an image that possibly is more accurate is this small 12th century follaro of Messina (Sicily) which shows him in a much different hat:   Nicholas was a real person, the early 4th century bishop of Myra, which is in present day Turkey. Bishops of the Eastern church wear hats with a lower profile, like the one seen on this coin (and on earlier Byzantine coins). His remains were brought from Myra to Bari Italy in 1087 (hence his appearance on coins of southern Italy) and from there his popularity spread to other parts of Europe via crusaders who had stopped in Italy en route to the Middle East. AMong the legends associated with him is surreptitious giving of gifts. Edited by tdziemia
12/06/2020 2:45 pm
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Moderator
 United States
34397 Posts |
Very nice @tdz. Now I gotta find those wooden shoes packed away somewhere.  "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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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Interesting. I never knew all that.
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Moderator
United States
188052 Posts |
Very interesting!  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
9158 Posts |
You learn some thing new every day, thanks.
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Valued Member
Australia
128 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
987 Posts |
I either never knew or forgot this. Either way....very interesting. Thanks for sharing! |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5239 Posts |
Here in the CCF we keep the notion of secret gifts alive in the "secret santa" contest.
Who doesn't like secret gifts?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
We put out stockings on the night of Dec. 5 and they get filled by morning with candy and a orange or tangerine. Always been a tradition in our family - possibly passed down through German heritage.
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5172 Posts |
Though posted several days late, here's my own Saint Nicholas coin - sadly not in the best condition, and the photos aren't that good either...   Duchy of Sabbioneta, Vespasiano Gonzaga, sesino, 1562-1591 Obverse: VESP D G DVX SABLON I, bust of Vespasiano Gonzaga facing left Reverse: SANCT VS NICOLAVS, Saint Nicholas standing Numista 167193 (the linked page shows a much better example) Fun fact: when I was trying to attribute this coin, I basically only had NICOLAVS (and the not-very-indicative DVX) to go on; everything else was barely visible. It's telling as to how extremely uncommon Saint Nicholas coins are that this was enough. |
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,594 |
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Posted 12/07/2020 08:02 am
