Featured That Bright, Shining Star

Hi everyone,

Are you ready to celebrate?!

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Top Ten lists and Secret Saturnalia threads, some of my favourites!

I wasn’t able to participate in the Secret Saturnalia. But, one of our friends sent me a wonderful gift that is especially meaningful to me at this time of year.

Deacon Ray sent me this amazing Star of Bethlehem AE Trichalkon with Zeus on the obverse and a ram looking at a star on the reverse. This has always been in the top 5 coins on my wish list and I’m so so happy to have it. Thank you, Deacon Ray!



He also sent me an awesome card that I’ll post a picture of tomorrow.

This is a great coin with a fascinating theory behind what is commemorated on the reverse. You can read more about it here: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/data/cartwright/Star of Bethlehem Coins.pdf

A lot of the information goes over my limited comprehension, but I lean toward the theory being true.

‘Tis the season for boss Christmas carols like this one:




Feel free to post whatever randomness you like. All are welcome!

Erin

 

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What a great Christmas gift from Ray, congrats Erin.

 

that's a very nice coin from a very nice fellow Erin..congrats and Merry Christmas..

 

Such a lovely fellow for doing so. Compliments of the season, my dear, and if I might add just a 'tad' of 'Coltrane'......

 

I do believe you are a true romantic, Erin. From “Kiss me Kate” by Cole Porter (sang so deliciously by Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson):

Wunderbar, wunderbar!
There's our favorite star above
What a bright, shining star
Like our love it's wunderbar!

And, what a great gift from a great person!

 

Great Erin! That Deacon Ray guy is very nice. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. Congrats on the new coin.

 

Wonderful performances. Cole Porter is one of my favorite song writers.

 

Heck......Deacon Jones was a football player from my youth.....Deacon Ray is an exemplary player here in these forums.........

 

Here's my Tranquillina...with leaping ram above Tyche's head.
Mesopotamia, Singara (easternmost mint in the Empire). The city was lost to the Sassanians in the reign of Constantius II. The historian Ammianus Marcellinus has a most poignant description of the events of the time. Here's a brief bit on Singara, modern Sinjar, Iraq.

http://www.livius.org/articles/place/singara-sinjar/

 

Congrats.. May you have a blessed shining year. A coin from the hand of DR is a treasure in itself. I chose 2 coins that are believed to represent the great event : Joy to the Earth. The first was struck in Antioch and has the genuine red sand of Antioch in it. The date Delta M suggests it was struck under Emperor Tiberius. The second was struck far later and has a star within crescent. Merry Christmas.

 

Congrats, Erin! A great gift for a GREAT person! And that DR is so special and generous!!

 

Erin, my friend, I’m delighted that you’re delighted! Heres’s a choir of emojis singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah —The one in middle forgot the words.

Have a Great Christmas, Erin!

 

Thanks so much everybody!

Here is the awesome card:



My dad wants to take it home and put it on display.

I’m still on cloud 9!

Thanks for posting the awesome coins!

Thank you James. You’re the coolest 89 yr old I know, keep it up!

4 days left!

Erin

 

That's an amazing card! Geesh!

 

Some great presents! Merry Christmas to you and your cool gift givers!

 

Thats very cool!