So something different, to show everyone I do not only buy in bulk. Here are the two latest additions to my "Sogdian with Eastern Church Cross" mini-collection. I am definitely moving up the rarity ladder. In terms of lincoln cents, these may not be 09sVDB of 14d's, but maybe more along the lines of a 31s. Definitely rare little coins, one of which I didn't even know existed with a cross in the field: I think I have around 12 different Sogdian coins now with a cross, a pretty high number if one were to assert the cross was just an incidental mark placed on coins.
The reverses are the clan tamgha. Are you referring to the cross on the obverse fields, or the reverse tamgha?
Woops, completely missed that. I thought you were calling the tamgha on the reverse some kind of cross. How certain is it that these are referencing Christianity?
The only certainty is that this area of the world was one of the centers of Eastern Christianity during this timeframe. At times, other symbols appear in the fields, but the cross is nearly alone in being on examples of either no field mark or just a cross. Other times other marks might be there, like a swastika on 90% of the issues, then a few show up with a cross instead. No certainty, but as compelling I believe as most other instances where someone places a symbols of their religious faith on coinage. Here are a couple more: The first has a cross on the reverse. I also have the same coin without a cross. These are the only ones I have pics handy.
Really? That is unusual. Most people despise Sogdian coins, and find Hunnic coins, especially the Nezak Huns I posted, interesting. My wife actually likes them quite a bit, but consider my Sogdian coins as basically sun dried dirt.
Thank you for posting the new crosses. It reminded me to check mine which remains in solitary after treatment for bronze disease last year and is, so far, clean. It may never go back into regular cases but will stay where I can check it every month at least. Just to be sure we all understand your comparison to US Cents: I believe that the total number of Sogdian coins in the Western market is probably similar to the number of 1909S VDB cents. The number with crosses might be similar to the number of 1793 cents. Would you say that is exaggerating the matter? The value of your holdings would increase exponentially with the discovery of a text of a Gospel in a Sogdian language that dates to the time of your coins. Historical records of the era in that region are few (probably most of them are the coins themselves). Anything substantiating the crosses as Christian symbols would be nice. I had not seen one in the obverse field but my collection of such coins all will fit on my fingers without requiring the use of the palm of my hand. That is, however, more specimens than I have 1909S VDB (0).
Always torturing me Doug with yours. I have the same coin with different tamgha shapes, with dots in the middle, with a dash, etc, and still haven't found one with a cross. I'll find one someday. I should image the rest of my coins with crosses. Might be a fun little mini collection to see. Regarding rarity, I was just using lincoln cents since we all know them. I seriously would doubt there are as many Sogdian coins in the whole world as there are 09sVDB cents. For most issues, you are talking more like Dahlonega mintages. Btw, here is the third I got recently. Not nearly as scarce, but not horribly common either.
the whogdians? hu...never heard of them before....thank goodness for wikipedia. neat coins guys, hadn't seen anything like them. the wikipedia page show some interesting coins, whith a wide range of influences...greek, indo-greek, chinese...pretty cool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogdiana
