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Saints ' Images on Coins

I thought I would make this topic a bit more visible .... This previous thread morphed into a thread on finding images of Christian saints on coins:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Coins-Paper-Money/Question-of-Variety-Authenticity-for-Medieval-Italian...

 

For those with an interest in the designs of medieval and Renaissance era European coins, you may enjoy browsing through it.

 

In the spirit of some other threads, there is also a running list, which (after some rearrangement) looks like this, and the encouragement of readers to add to it!:

 

1.  Mary as Madonna - Hungary Ducats starting 16th c., Bavaria thalers 1770s, Nuremburg notgeld

Annunciation - Naples Charles II salute d'argento 15th c.

Mary is also shown "crowning" byzantine soverigns on some gold coins of the 11-12thc.

2.  Michael the Archangel - Brabant esterlin 1267-94, England Edward IV gold angel, Vatican City 50 c. 1929-41, Zeitz notgeld 

3.  John the Baptist -  Gold florins of Florence, France (Orange, Avignon), northern Germany 13-15th c.,  Testons of Florence.

4.  Mary Magdalen -  Papal States - Ancona teston 1582  

 

Apostles/Evangelists:

5.  St. Peter - Many papal states/Vatican City issues;  Brabant gros, 14th c.

6.  St. Andrew - Brunswick-Lunenburg thalers and fractions of 16th-17th c., Brabant florin Charles the Bold

7.  Ss. James & John -  Pesar mezzo paolo 1538-74

8.  St. Thomas - Portuguese India Joao III (1521-57) gold

9.  St. Mark - Venice grosso of 13-15th c. (and later Venice coins)

10. St. Matthew - Papal States piastre 1676

11. St. Paul - Munster 3 and 6 pfennig 1750s to 1770s; Papal States many issues including grosso of Benedict XIV (1740s) and Vatican City 20 centesimo of 1930s

 

Early Martyrs:

12. St. Stephen - Metz gros of 14-15thc and thalers of 17th, Halberstadt bracteates of 12-13th c. and thalers of 16-17th c.

13. St. George - (Antioch 1112-19; England/Gr Britain Noble Henry VIII, Crown, Sovereign 1817-; Bank of Canada token 1852, Ferrara grossone Ercole I 1471-1505; Mansfeld-Eisleben 1/3 Thaler 1671; Friedberg Thaler 1766

14. St. Alban - trade ducat, priory of St. Albans (Mains) 1712-1786

 

15. St. Antoninus - Borgotaro teston 1520s, Parma teston of 1622-46

16. St. Vitalis - Parma teston 1646-94

17. St. Ursus - Solothurn duplone 1797

18. St. Benigno - Abbey of Montanaro teston 1529-43

 

Others (many are medieval bishops who spread the faith, founded monateries, abbeys, founded religious orders ..)

19. St. Nicholas - Lorraine (Florin, 1608-24)

20. St. Killian - Wurzburg (Thaler 1685)

21. St. Patrick - Dublin tokens 1660s

22. St. Demetrius - Byzantine nomisma, 1080s

23. St. Theodore - Byzantine trachy, 1143-80

24. St. Martin - Lucca Scudo 1733, Bingen and Aschaffenburg notgeld

25. St. Ambrose - Milan Grosso 1395-1402

26. St. Vitus - Corvey 24 Mariengroschen 1753

27. St. Willibald - Eichstatt 5 Kreuzer 1750s

28. St. Romuald - Papl States

29. St. Stephan - Hungary 5 Pengo 1938

30. Ss Cyril & Methodius - Bulgaria 5 Leva, Slovakia 20 korun 1941

31. St. Maximinus - Trier notgeld issues 1920

32. St. Moritz - Magdeburg 1/24 Thaler 1607

33. St. Liborius - Paderborn Thaler 1620, 1786

34. St. Marinus - St. Marino 20 lire 1931-

35. St. Ludger - Werden & Helmstedt Thaler 1745; Werden notgeld

36. St. Hildegard - Kempten 1 & 2 kreuzer 1620s

37. St. Pope John XXIII - Cook Is. 2014

38. St. Pope John Paul II - Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Poland 2014

39. St. Gertrude - Wattenscheid notgeld

40. St. Gotthard - Gotha notgeld

41. St. Pancras - Iserlohn notgeld

42. St. Patroclus - Soest notgeld

 

Message 1 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

I considered posting this on one of elheron's HRE/Central Europa threads, but it's just as appropriate here.

 

This coin features Saint Hedwig (Jadwiga in Polish), who was duchess of SIlesia, now mostly in southwestern Poland, in the early 13th century (so, she is not having a bad hair day ... that is supposed to be her crown). After the death of her husband, Duke Henry, in 1238, she retired to the Cistercian Abbey of Trebnitz, which he had built, and "took the habit" though she never took the vows to become a nun.  They were both renowned for their piety, and miracles were ascribed to her after her death in 1243. She was canonized in 1267.  She is the patron(ess) saint of Silesia.  The Roman Catholic cathedral in Berlin is named after her.

 

Not so many female saints out there on coins.  And it also fits with my Poland collection.

 

Silesia-Legnica-Brzeg, Groschen 1505-1511, 29 mm

Obv: MONETA DVCIS LEGNICENCI (Coinage of the Duchy of Legnitz)

Rev: FRIDERICVS DVX SLESI (Friederich, Duke of Silesia)

 

StHedwig.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message 91 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Hola TDZ - your post of 21 Mayo 2016:  That is a super nice 'find' for your accumulation!

The history is very interesting.  The coin is very interesting.  That is a big chunk of Silver

coin for those olden days.  Congrats on your addition!

 

Another thing that is ongoing would be the 'finds' of coins for Silesia.  Heron recently

learnt that Liechtenstein had an ownership of some land in or near Silesia.  Many years

pasado. Heron did not buy the coin as it was very high cost!

 

This is a great hobby.  Especially for the history & geography we can learn.  And the

coins we can own.  Keep up the good work.

 

Regardos...

 

 

 

 

Message 92 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Saint Wolfgang, pictured on the Regensburg 1/2 batzen of 1510-1516.

 

He was first a missionary to the Magyars, then bishop of Regensburg, and died in 994 AD.

 

StWolfgang.jpg

Message 93 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Hola TDZ - your post of 25 Junio 2016 - 1502 hrs:  Nice find!  Heron always

wondered about that name of Wolfgang.  Thought about where it might have

originated.  Saint Wolfgang helped spread the name for many male children. 

Now we know!

Congrats on that 'find'.  A 1/2 Batz is mucho better than no Batz!  Respectos.

 

xx

Message 94 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins


@elheron-grande wrote:

Hola TDZ - your post of 25 Junio 2016 - 1502 hrs:  Nice find!  Heron always

wondered about that name of Wolfgang.  Thought about where it might have

originated.  Saint Wolfgang helped spread the name for many male children. 

Now we know!

Congrats on that 'find'.  A 1/2 Batz is mucho better than no Batz!  Respectos.

 

xx


Better than just learning of its existence (photo is from the NGC website), I've found one to buy, from a dealer of central europa coins in SoCal, who we both know .

 

 

Message 95 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Hola TDZ: your post of 28 Junio 2016 1454hrs:  As Heron was perusing the most recent

"list" received from just South of Surf City, he skipped over Regensburg because Heron

has a Regensburger coin.  However, Heron did consider Salzwedel...ha!  On the other

handt, Heron was able to find enough 'anno dated' coins to reach budget limit.  A very

nice selection of items this time.  That St. Wolfgang 1/2 Batzen appeared to be priced

'right'.  Good luck on that.  It could be a long time before another Wolfgang appears.

 

Regardos.

 

xx

Message 96 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

I also noticed coins from such famous central Europa locales as Barby (featuring perhaps a shapely, fashionably dressed young  woman on the coat of arms?) , Corvey (a crow?), and Mansfeld-Vorderort, which sounds like the name of a Harry Potter villain.

Smiley Happy

 

Message 97 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Hola TDZ - your post of 30 Junio 2016 0506:  Nice comentarios!  Yes, some a these names

from Germania are somewhat 'far-out' for us Murrkins.  Yes, Corvey could be connected to

crows.  Heron notices that crows appear on many coats of arms [Wappen] of the old cities

and municipalidados of the HRE.  As for Mansfeld.  There are quite a few 'combinations'

in the Mansfeld family.  One is soon to be presented by el Heron!  World coin collecting is

a big fun hobby for many of us.  Regardos. 

 

XX

Message 98 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

St. Olaf was king of Norway in the early 11th century, is credited with bringing Christianity there, and fighting for its independence from the danes and Swedes.  He died in battle in 1031, and is considered a martyr, though it's not clear to me he died fighting for his faith as opposed to his country (of course those lines were more blurred back then).  I suppose that puts him in the category of "warrior saints" like St. George and others .

His image on a Norway 20 Kroner gold, 1910.  Currently up for auction elsewhere.  This topic never seems to run out of steam!

StOlaf.jpg

Message 99 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

10 Dec 2016 0914: Hola TDZ - nice Norway coin.  Heron has recently received a coin with Madonna & Child image onnit.  It is a Denar of Kingdom of Ungarn dated 1536.

The legend with this image is "Patrona Vngarie".  Heron thought this might be worth a 'mention', although your list has a bunch of Madonna images onnit. 

Heron has another item to 'report'.  A 'Saint' type coin. Soon, perhaps.  Regardos.

 

Message 100 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

The 1910 Norway 20 Kroner seems to be an interesting and quite collectible coin.  Even though it is a modern gold issue, it sells for a huge premium above bullion value.  Grades below MS have sold recently for about $750 (it is a 9 gram coin of 0.900 fineness).  That makes the premium about 150% above bullion.  

Mintage is only 250,000, it is a single year issue, and those Norwegian numismatikers have even more disposable income than American numismatists. 

 

I don't think this will find its way into my saints collection unless I sell my birthyear collection!

Message 101 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

11 Dec 2016 0936: Hola TDZ - that is good info re Norwegian gold.  Muchas Garzas!

Heron's knowledge of gold coins is slim.  However, Heron can state with certainty that with sale of his birth-year collection there would still remain a large 'short-fall'. ha!

Regardos. 

Message 102 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

20 Dec 2016 0920: Hola TDZ - Heron has an interesting situation here.  Heron acquired a coin that does NOT have an image of a Sankt.  There is no mention of a Sankt on the coin.  Actually the coin was issued by a Municipalidado with the name of a Sankt.  Yes, this is true.  The coin was issued by the Stadt Sankt Polten.  It is a dated coin.  Date of [1]624.  This is a Groschen denomination.  Sankt Polten is in Austria. 

Heron does not know if this will actually 'fit' into the list of Saints Images on Coins.  Perhaps as an 'asterick'? Quizas? Quien Sabe?  

By the way, the name Polten evolved over a period of time.  It began Saint Hippolyt, then Sankt Polyt, then Sankt Polten.  

Please see Heron's report number 301 of C&O coins.   

Are we having fun yet?  You betcha!   Regardos.

Message 103 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

Too bad there was no image of St. Hippolyte (a name that always intrigued me ... like an oxymoron:  Hippo Lite?).

I ran across this interesting Wurzburg Ducat (KM424) in an e-auction.  Not enough budget to bid Smiley Sad

St. Killian is in the center, patron saint of Wurzburg.  I cannot find any suggestion in numismatic catalogs for the saints to his left and right.  The palm indicates they are both martyrs.  The book being held by the saint on his left might suggest an evangelist (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John ... Paul), but isn't consistent with the normal iconography for any of them (Paul was martyred, but is more commonly shown with a book and a sword).  The martyr holding a chalice is even trickier (St. Barbara is a martyr sometimes shown holding a chalice, but this looks like a male saint to me).  I'm not sure the inscription is helpful. 

Any thoughts? 

WurzburgDucat1785.jpg  

Message 104 of 127
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Re: Saints ' Images on Coins

18 Janu 2017 0830hrs: Hola TDZ.  Very interesting gold coin. However, gold coins &

Latin language are outta my sphere of knowledge.

The Obv was fairly easy to decipher.  A coin of Franz Ludwig the big man of Wurzburg and Bamberg.

The only reference Heron could find for Apostoli was for a church in Rome- The Church of the 12 Holy Apostles.

It is possible that the figure depicted could be a 'representation' of the 12 Apostles?

 

Where is Norm, the Latin esspert, when we need him?   

Or any Latin esspert ?

Regardos.  

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