Featured "Skull & bones" tokens: won two intriguing group lots in a recent Belgian auction

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by lordmarcovan, Sep 28, 2019.

  1. WashQuartJesse

    WashQuartJesse Member Supporter

    Based on my findings, the token’s obverse is actually the saltire (X) skull and bones. Accounts seem to suggest Saint Lambert (Landebertus/Lambertus) was born sometime in the 7th century (633-638) and that he died right around the turn of this century. ANNIVERSARIUM, therefore, would most likely refer to the thousand year celebration of his birth or death/martyrdom… These coins may have already provided researchers/historians, or one day will, a more definitive date.

    I am more inclined to believe the depicted skull and bones were more of a remembrance, acknowledgement, and/or literal appreciation of St. Lambert’s actual remains (the exhumation and transfer to Liege), than a general, “better be a good girl/boy before meeting your maker” type of thing. I feel that these were used during feasts as is commonly suggested, today. I don’t believe that these were strictly, or predominantly, used as a sort of passing/death token or whatever.

    The Royal Society of Numismatics (Belgium) was considering these tokens prior to the American Civil War. What an extraordinary group of numismatists, too!

    Their introduction to this “series” of tokens mentions something along the lines of (loosely translated)…

    In the second part of our numismatic research of Liège, we are disregarding all the pieces that did not have a public course or a legal value, and we established two divisions…

    The first includes medals, tokens and decorations…

    The second includes medals, tokens and decorations struck by chapters, corporations and/or families (in other words), all the pieces that relate to a special society…

    We rely on the benevolent course of numismatists to complete the
    first research…”
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2019
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  3. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I note that some of the tokens in those lots have a portrait of St. Lambert himself.
     
    Coinsandmedals likes this.
  4. Dillon Langford

    Dillon Langford New Member

    wow i'm in love would you part with a skully sell/ trade, both?
     
  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I'll be selling off the duplicates, later, after I've gone through the lot. But here and now on the public discussion thread is neither the place nor time to discuss that.

    Several people have expressed an interest. I'll make a list and try to remember to PM everybody when the time comes. When I do sell them, it will probably be via true auction, on eBay, so I don't "leave any money on the table" by underselling myself (which I all too often do).

    All in due time. It'll be a while yet, I reckon.
     
  6. Dillon Langford

    Dillon Langford New Member

    Gotcha and gotcha
     
    lordmarcovan likes this.
  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    So many coins, and so many pieces of dark copper. I fear my subpar cellphone photography is not gonna cut it. Maybe I'll have to find somebody to photograph the lot for me. Better yet if I can find somebody who'd do that in exchange for some of the pieces.

    20191018_051748.jpg 20191018_050909.jpg 20191018_051052.jpg 20191018_051136.jpg 20191018_051302.jpg 20191018_051306.jpg 20191018_051333.jpg 20191018_051400.jpg 20191018_051410.jpg
     
  8. WashQuartJesse

    WashQuartJesse Member Supporter

    What a haul! I'd enjoy the opportunity of taking photographs of these for you, Lord. No exchange necessary. PM if interested. Great job on locating these.
     
  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    That settled it. @WashQuartJesse is going to photograph these for me (and he will get something for his labor), and maybe he'll post some of the images here as he goes along.

    Thanks, Jesse! Your offer to do so is a godsend. :)
     
    longshot likes this.
  10. WashQuartJesse

    WashQuartJesse Member Supporter

    Photographing these was very enjoyable. I felt it would be appropriate to bump this thread and share one of each date/variety.

    1635: 1635.jpg
    1655: 1655.jpg
    1686 (Variety 1): 1686 Var 1.jpg
    1686 (Variety 2): 1686 Var 2.jpg
    No Date: No Date.jpg
     
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