Featured Saint George on Coins, Tokens, & Medals

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by GeorgeM, Feb 24, 2020.

  1. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    Henry VIII Gold Angel

    Henry VIII Angel Obv.jpg

    2005 Proof Sovereign Set

    2005 Sovereign.jpg
    200th Anniversary Proof issue of the Pistrucci design (2017 Sovereign)

    2017 Sovereign cropped.jpg
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    1937 Proof Sovereign

    1937 Double Sov PR66 Cam Rev.jpg

    Can't seem to find any more variations of the theme (in my collection) at the moment ;)
     
  4. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    I think you did quite well indeed/ thanks for posting your beauties:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool: I would guess, if you where ever feeling down, best medicine to get in better mood, look at your magnificent collection.:)
    John
     
    1934 Wreath Crown likes this.
  5. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    Thanks John. Sometimes these items of beauty do provide an adrenaline boost:D;)

    I've been toying with the idea of reducing my collection to 100-150 select coins but keep changing my mind about which ones I could bear to sell. The worst is deciding on ancients because with moderns you could find a similar or even better example some day but ancients are all so unique:):)
     
    GeorgeM and panzerman like this.
  6. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    Only have the 1 with the renowned reverse
     

    Attached Files:

    Eric the Red likes this.
  7. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    Wowza. All lovely, but that one in particular is amazing. I wonder - why did the Royal Mint modify the spear design & switch to a sword in Saint George's hand?
     
    1934 Wreath Crown likes this.
  8. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    And that too a Roman style sword:p

    TBH a spear makes more sense as you can hurl it at the offending dragon:).....with a sword one has to engage in close combat and risk getting roasted:dead:. Most of the older designs had a spear. In the case of Pistrucci, a broken one indicating a fierce contest
     
    panzerman and GeorgeM like this.
  9. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    I would say your toast with a sword/ spear/ longbow/ crossbow/ battle axe/ halberd/ pike/ mace vs a Dragon.
     
    princeofwaldo, Magnus87 and GeorgeM like this.
  10. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    :D:D:D
     
    panzerman likes this.
  11. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    You might stand a chance vs a "Komodo Dragon" or a "Basilisk" afdb07c72559c09ed00d25063ed0c4ce.jpg aa1c012e9ab6217c9152f38e7101673f.jpg
     
  12. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    I'd like my chances with a Scorpion (or a modern anti-tank rocket launcher) a little better...

    Screenshot_20200423-123344_Gallery.jpg

    That said, it's my understanding that the "dragon" in the story is a metaphor for a monstrous person. Here's a quick recap of the story:

    In the late 3rd century, St. George was traveling home through the middle east (generally in the area of Syria or Libya) when he came across a fair princess who was tied up beside a lake. When he untied her, she begged him to leave her where he had found her, for she was to be sacrificed to appease a dragon. If unfed, the dragon would go on a frenzy and ravage her homeland.

    Instead, St. George waited for the dragon to come, and attacked it. He not only slayed the monster, but saved the princess and charmed her father enough that he offered the hand of the princess in marriage as a prize. Yet, George could not stay, for he had an appointment with grisly fate to keep in Italy.

    So, applying a bit of deductive reasoning, and assuming that the story had some basis in fact, I'm guessing that Saint George was probably a Roman or Roman auxiliary passing through the area after completing his term of service. And the "dragon" was a local chief or warlord pushing unwanted affections on a ruler's daughter. Either our hero killed him or he otherwise outmaneuvered the warlord to win the hand of the princess (& his departure was retconned because St. G wasn't allowed to have a happily ever after & still earn his sainthood).

    900+ years later, poorly educated English crusaders pass through the area and discover a bunch of Eastern Orthodox saints for the first time. Local legends & religious tales get translated & passed around the campfires with embellishments each step of the way. In the process stories about one Roman equestrian are confused with another (possibly they both had similar names?). Boom, St George is the guy who defeated the dragon.

    Clerics traveling with these soldiers see a chance to raise morale, and say that the spirit of St. George is fighting alongside them, victories ensue, and pretty quickly Saint George is the patron state of an island on the outer edge of the Roman world which he never visited and may not have ever even heard of.
     
  13. talerman

    talerman Well-Known Member

    Before there were any Counts of Mansfeld, a knight by the name of George lived in Mansfeld Castle. A lindorm (a wicked serpent-like creature in Scandinavian folklore, here a dragon) lived on a hill outside the city (in the direction of Eisleben), and even today this hill is called Lindberg. To save their own lives, the inhabitants had to give a maiden to the lindorm every day as a tribute. Soon there were no more virgins to be found in the little city, and the lindorm demanded the knight's daughter. The following morning the knight himself challenged the dragon and slew him, freeing the city. Henceforth he was called Saint George, instead of George.

    As a memorial the image of him killing the dragon was carved in stone above the Mansfeld church entrance, and can be seen even today (and on Mansfeld coins).

    SEE
    Saint George Legends
    from Northern Europe

    on the internet. Fun.
     
  14. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    And now has the situation changed at Mansfeld vis-a-vis the virgin maidens? All safe now!!

    Reminds me of the joke which goes:

    Did you know that on the Canary Islands there is not a single canary?
    And on the Virgin Isles?
    Same thing
    .
    .
    .
    .
    Not one canary there either!!:D:D:D

    Be happy and stay safe guys
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2020
  15. talerman

    talerman Well-Known Member

    The counts of Mansfeld owned extensive copper and silver mines and their coinage is very plentiful, many featuring similar portrayals of St. George and the dragon. According to Wikipedia, Hans Luder, Martin Luther's father and a Mansfeld citizen from 1484, was employed as a master smelter. The last mines were closed in 1969. I do not have an update on the virgin situation.

    Here are 2 more Mansfeld Talers. In the second one St. George is brandishing a sword rather than a lance which would make his task more difficult.

    MANSFELD-Vorderort-FRIEDEBURG Joint Issue of Peter Ernst I, Johann Albrecht, Bruno II, Hoyer Christoph & Johann Taler 1585

    Mansfeld-Vord-Friedeburg Peter Ernst I & 4 others Taler 1585 obv .jpg Mansfeld-Vord-Friedeburg Peter Ernst I & 4 others Taler 1585 rev 305.jpg
    MANSFELD-Eigentliche-Hinterort Friedrich Christian Taler 1610

    Mansfeld -Eigen-Hinterort Fried Christian alone Taler 1610 obv 274.jpg Mansfeld -Eigen-Hinterort Fried Christian alone Taler 1610 rev 275.jpg
     
  16. talerman

    talerman Well-Known Member

    A number of Italian states also featured St. George on their coins. Here are 3 examples.

    PAPAL STATES - FERRARA Pope Paul V Scudo 1619

    Ferrara Pope Paul V  Scudo 1619 obv 363.jpg Ferrara Pope Paul V  Scudo 1619 rev 366.jpg

    DESANA Giovanni Bartolomeo Tizzone Cornuto n.d.(1525-33) This St. George is on his way to or on his way back from killing the dragon. Alternatively, the legend about him in Desana is quite different, with no dragon involved.

    Desana Giovan  Bart Tizzone Cornuto w S Geo  nd obv 726.jpg





    U





    URB


    Desana Giovan Bart Tizzone Cornuto w S Geo nd rev 729.jpg
     
  17. talerman

    talerman Well-Known Member

    Sorry, slight technical problem.

    Here's the third example from Italy, a very small coin

    URBINO Francesco Maria II della Rovere Armellino n.d.(1574-1624)

    Urbino Fran Maria II Armellino nd obv 911.jpg Urbino Fran Maria II Armellino nd rev 915.jpg
     
  18. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Stunning coins talerman! Beautifull designs/ exceptional state of preservation.
     
  19. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    There's a 1900 20 Peseta trial piece from Catalon that also has the St. George design, and which is quite beautiful. Heritage has one on auction right now, but it has rapidly moved beyond my means. There may still be a few hours left if you want to drive the price up even further:

    20200423_185253.jpg Screenshot_20200423-185220_Samsung Internet.jpg
     
    brg5658, talerman and panzerman like this.
  20. Siberian Man

    Siberian Man Senior Member

    Russia (before Empire).
    83.jpg 84.jpg
     
    Eric the Red, GeorgeM and talerman like this.
  21. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Eric the Red and GeorgeM like this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page