Featured I bought a "coin" with a very dark history . . . . . . .

When I visited the cathedral I had ridden in by train from Amsterdam, you can literally see the cathedral from many many miles before you get into the city and it is just amazing how the towers dominate the skyline. The train station is a close walk to the cathedral, which was a good thing because I got there in a driving rain. Incredibly for being in the centre of a large German city the cathedral only got minimal damage in WWII. When you are close to the cathedral, particularly in front, it is difficult to get a photograph of the whole of the façade as many newer commercial buildings have been built up around it.

I purchased a very large print of the cathedral which dominates the wall of my dining room to this day.

 

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Nice medal!

I've got some medieval coins showing the early building stages of Cologne cathedral. Based on a comparison of the architectural reverses and reconstructed plans of the medieval cathedral (see here for details), I'm relatively convinced that at least the first coin doesn't only show a generic church building but specifically Cologne cathedral:


Archbishopric of Cologne, under Rainald von Dassel, AR obol, ca. 1159–1167. Obv: Bishop facing, holding crosier and book. Rev: church building with three towers, inside, three sarcophagi (?). 14 mm, 0.53g. Ref: Hävernick 498.


Archbishopric of Cologne, under Heinrich I von Molenark, AR pfennig, ca. 1225–1237 Obv: [+ HENRICS A]RCIEPC; bishop facing, wearing mitre, holding crosier and book. Rev: [+SAN]CTA [C]OLO[NIA]; bust of saint holding two cross flags in front of church building. 18 mm, 1.24gg. Ref: Hävernick 547.

 

Thanks for the tip. I didn't even know they issued passport cards too.

 

I agree its a cool piece, but I would not assume it was made for spying. These were made this way centuries before to keep drawings of loved ones, etc in them. Such items are a lot like women's lockets with pictures in them.

 

Love the 3D effect it has.

 

Love the 3D effect in the design of this coin. Like I'm looking very deep into the coin. Awesome

 

Nice to see your post featured. And very cool “coin” of course.

 

How cool is that? Very cool indeed.