Ok, now I'm spending way too much time looking at coins! I wonder if I can impose to ask another question. There is a coin I was looking at the is supposed to be a denier from King Phillippe Auguste in the mid 13th century I believe. On one side is the typical cross, but on the other side is a 6 pointed star. I had read elsewhere on this board that 6 pointed stars were Moroccon, and had nothing to do with Jews, but from what I have read Phillippe Auguste kicked the Jews out of France in the 13th century. Does anyone know anything about this coin? Larry
I know of only one such six pointed star coin issued in the name of Phillip II (1188 - 1202). It is found referenced in `The Silver Coins of Medieval France 476-1610' by James N Roberts (Attic Books 1996) as coin no. 2327. Ian
Do you have any idea what it means... Do you have any idea what the meaning of the star is? I wonder if it represents a Jewish star, or does it mean something else? And if the king kicked the Jews out of France, why put a Star of David on a coin?
The Deols mint pentagram type deniers and obols seem to have been introduced during the period of Odo the Old (1012-44). It's a pentagram rather than a `star of David' and has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the Jews (at least, not as far as I know). Why the pentagram as opposed to a hershey bar? I don't know, but the type is seen up to and including the period of William I (1207 - 33). That is, nearly two hundred years of this type coin. Ian
Pentagram only has 5 points - that one has 6. But according to a lot of research, the 6 pointed star is not of Jewish origin. It was used in ancient Egypt and is a Masonic symbol as well. I can't say for sure - but if I had to guess, I'd say it's use was due to Masonic influence at the time.
I should have said `pentagram and later hexagram....' The type started off being pentagrams. They were quickly changed to hexagrams during the period of Odo. IMHO the reason for the change from 5 to 6 sided is more likely to have been for ease of design than anything else, but for all anyone knows the change might have been to prevent the coin being used for / being associated with witchcraft? Who knows. Ian
Interesting Although I didn't think pentagrams were associated with witchcraft back then...were they? I'd need to read DaVinci code again to find out - he talks about all of that symbology. If ignorance is bliss, I guess I should be pretty happy, but it don't like it all that much...
Irubin, If you're interested,here is the Legend on that coin.I found it on a French coin site. Obverse:+ REX FILIPVS (King Philippe) Reverse:+ DEDOLIS (Déols, town,city or region) The "star" is described as a Hexalpha with ring in center. I had to use BabelFish translator 'cause the page is in French.