A gold coin, made of 21 pure gold, weighing 21 grams, Jewish heritage, Middle Ages

[kristofferreich]

I want to identify the exact age of the attached coin. I think it may be of Jewish heritage, and it is possible that it dates back to the Middle Ages or even earlier. The coin is a very unique and valuable object, and it is important to learn as much as we can about it

[Al Kowsky]

1 hour ago, kristofferreich said:

I want to identify the exact age of the attached coin. I think it may be of Jewish heritage, and it is possible that it dates back to the Middle Ages or even earlier. The coin is a very unique and valuable object, and it is important to learn as much as we can about it

This doesn't look like a coin 🤨, it looks more like a medal or talisman of some kind 🤔.

[Theodosius]

What is the diameter in mm?

Where is it from?

XRF analysis?

Never seen anything like it.  Agree that it is not likely to be a coin...

John

[John Conduitt]

It's probably to do with Tarot or other magic-related activity. The star is the Seal of Solomon.

Edited September 26, 2023 by John Conduitt

[kristofferreich]

48 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

This doesn't look like a coin 🤨, it looks more like a medal or talisman of some kind 🤔.

You're right, it's not a coin in the traditional sense. It doesn't have any writing or ruler image or national attributes. However, it is a gold coin, and it was likely used as an amulet or symbol for something.

Edited September 26, 2023 by kristofferreich

[kristofferreich]

46 minutes ago, Theodosius said:

What is the diameter in mm?

Where is it from?

XRF analysis?

Never seen anything like it.  Agree that it is not likely to be a coin...

John

Thanks for your response. Actually I don't have access to XRF analysis, but my colleague who is still in Egypt took the picture, so I'm assuming it was found there.

I'm still learning about ancient coins, but I'm fascinated by this one. It's so unique and different from anything I've seen before. I'm curious to know more about its meaning and purpose. So, if you have any suggestions I will be thankful

Edited September 26, 2023 by kristofferreich

[kristofferreich]

45 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

It's probably to do with Tarot or other magic-related activity. The star is the Seal of Solomon.

Thank you for your suggestion! I never considered that before, but it makes a lot of sense. The Star of Solomon is a powerful symbol, and it's possible that this coin was used for magical purposes.

I'm still trying to age the coin, but it's difficult to do without XRF analysis. However, based on the style of the engraving and the fact that it was found in Egypt, I believe that it is likely to be from the Middle Ages or even earlier.

I'm really excited to learn more about this coin. It's such a unique and fascinating object.

[sand]

Hello @kristofferreich. Welcome to Nvmis Forvms.

I don't recognize the coin. I don't remember seeing any ancient Jewish coins with 6 pointed stars on them. Some Islamic coins had 6 pointed stars on them. Therefore, the coin could be Islamic. However, I've never seen an Islamic coin with a scorpion on it. The scorpion reminds me of ancient Greek coins.

[Qcumbor]

Hi,

We've already seen something with a similar scorpion on a french forum. It's likely to be some astrological artifact rather than a coin. You should double check the metal to make sure it is actually gold and not orichalcum

Q

[kristofferreich]

9 minutes ago, Qcumbor said:

Hi,

We've already seen something with a similar scorpion on a french forum. It's likely to be some astrological artifact rather than a coin. You should double check the metal to make sure it is actually gold and not orichalcum

Q

Thank you for your inquiry. I already checked with a jewelry specialist to assess the purity of the 21 carat gold or above. The specialist used a combination of methods to test the gold, including:

Visual inspection: The specialist examined the gold for any signs of discoloration or impurities.
Hallmark test: The specialist looked for a hallmark on the gold, which is a stamp that indicates the purity of the metal.
Acid test: The specialist applied a small amount of acid to the gold to see how it reacted. Pure gold is resistant to acid, so if the gold dissolved, it indicated that it was not pure.
Based on these tests, the jewelry specialist confirmed that the gold is above 21 carat pure.

[Qcumbor]

6 minutes ago, kristofferreich said:

Based on these tests, the jewelry specialist confirmed that the gold is above 21 carat pure.

Great !

Lucky you !! 🙂 
Q

[DonnaML]

Whatever this is -- and I agree it's most likely some kind of magic/astrological talisman -- the one thing that's clear to me is that if it's Jewish-related (very unlikely) it's not ancient, and if it's ancient it's not Jewish-related. Even apart from the fact that the scorpion has no relevance to Jewish symbols, and that the Star of David has no sun/star in the center, the symbols of Judaism in the ancient world, on tombstones and on synagogues, were the menorah and occasionally objects like the lulav. The six-pointed star didn't become a common symbol of Judaism until sometime before the 17th century in Prague, and wasn't widely-used elsewhere until the 19th century.

And it's generally agreed that the use of "Solomon's seal"  in Kabbalistic circles derives from medieval Islamic use.

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

Also: I haven't researched the history of 21-karat gold (as opposed to, say, 24-karat gold or 10-karat gold), but 21 karats = 87.5% gold, and I'm pretty sure that ancient gold coins were of a higher purity than that. Also, according to a quick google search, the 21-karat purity is rarely used in gold pieces except in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. See https://alromaizan.com/blog/what-is-21k-gold-and-why-is-it-so-valuable . 

 

[JayAg47]

The six pointed star is also a religious symbol in Hinduism denoting the god Murugan, son of Siva and Shakti,

South Indian coins have featured this symbol,

Even on modern gold jewelery,

BUT, I doubt your coin/token also mean the same, given there's a scorpion. 

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by JayAg47

[kristofferreich]

14 hours ago, DonnaML said:

Whatever this is -- and I agree it's most likely some kind of magic/astrological talisman -- the one thing that's clear to me is that if it's Jewish-related (very unlikely) it's not ancient, and if it's ancient it's not Jewish-related. Even apart from the fact that the scorpion has no relevance to Jewish symbols, and that the Star of David has no sun/star in the center, the symbols of Judaism in the ancient world, on tombstones and on synagogues, were the menorah and occasionally objects like the lulav. The six-pointed star didn't become a common symbol of Judaism until sometime before the 17th century in Prague, and wasn't widely-used elsewhere until the 19th century.

And it's generally agreed that the use of "Solomon's seal"  in Kabbalistic circles derives from medieval Islamic use.

 

Thank you so much for your informative and insightful reply to my query about the gold coin. I am very grateful for your expertise and knowledge.

I am fascinated by the possibility that the coin is a magic or astrological talisman. The scorpion is a symbol of power and protection in many cultures, and the Star of David is also sometimes associated with magic and the occult. I am still learning about the coin and its possible meanings. I am grateful for your help in this process. 

I am open to all suggestions about any way to reach the origin of the coin, and I appreciate any help that you can provide.

[DonnaML]

7 hours ago, kristofferreich said:

Thank you so much for your informative and insightful reply to my query about the gold coin. I am very grateful for your expertise and knowledge.

I am fascinated by the possibility that the coin is a magic or astrological talisman. The scorpion is a symbol of power and protection in many cultures, and the Star of David is also sometimes associated with magic and the occult. I am still learning about the coin and its possible meanings. I am grateful for your help in this process. 

I am open to all suggestions about any way to reach the origin of the coin, and I appreciate any help that you can provide.

You're welcome, and good luck. I still suspect that it's a relatively modern production from the Middle East, perhaps manufactured in Saudi Arabia or the UAE. But who knows?

Edited September 27, 2023 by DonnaML

[Ed Snible]

@JayAg47 Your coin is Moroccan, https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1102.html or a smaller denomination.

[JayAg47]

4 hours ago, Ed Snible said:

@JayAg47 Your coin is Moroccan, https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces1102.html or a smaller denomination.

Sorry I meant to post the coin from kingdom of Travancore, they all look really similar!