First of all, I want to say this is a great website. I found it doing some research for a friend on some coins and the database here with pics is fantastic. Seems like this site is probably mostly people from the UK? I live in California, I collect mainy Morgan Silver Dollars and 8 Reales (Pieces of Eight) from a specific shipwreck. I like big silver coins. I know a fair amount about the coins I collect, but except for Spanish cobs I am not well versed on world coins. A friend of mine knows that I collect and he sent me some pictures of coins that his father left him. I have been trying to research it, but I am coming up blank. I am sorry I only have the obverse pics that he sent me. If anyone can give me some insight on these, I would very much appreciate it...
I thought this one may be a German States coin based on the writing, but I am not sure if it is even currency...
This one I am even more lost on. It looks like the image is something from Greek mythology? He has others like this with different inages but similar style and writing.
Second coin looks to be a token as there is neither a value or a state. The latin inscription "amarus finis amoris" means bitter end of love. I reckon a shot of the other side is going to be needed for this one.
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
I have no idea about the second, but the first is a beautiful piece. It is written in a type of German comparable to the King James' Bible's version of English. Smartone's translation is workable, but its a very poetic line; the best thing I can translate it to and retain the beauty is:
"O! Ye people, all four combined/what ye seek, here shall ye find"
The front is a full-length depiction of fortuna, and the reverse has a very charming depiction of the four types of "people" that it's speaking of -- Nobles (on the hunt), fisherman/merchant, craftsman, and farmer.
The reverse inscription is somewhat less poetic, but it says in an archaic form of spelling:
"Die Menschen der Weldt / Tracht'n al-so nach gelt", meaning:
"After all, the people of the world seek wealth"
This is such a beautiful piece, it almost brings tears to my eyes. Its a shame I won't be able to own something like this for a long time to come. I'd suggest your friend having this graded -- by an auction house, not a third party grader -- if he wants to sell it. This is something that could get him substantial "wealth".
Thank you so much for the replies! He will be very pleased to know what he has, as I believe he has tried to identify them for a while. I am getting pictures of the reverse on both coins and will post them once I have them. Can you tell me the year on the 1 1/4 Thaler?
Further to what Phil says, the latin phrase on the second coin is "Sin is sweet in the beginning, but bitter in the end". That's a main text of the Tolmud in Judaism, according to Wikipedia.
Would you Adam and Eve it? Dunno what the token/coin is though.
Here are pictures of the other sides. Hopefully someone has some info on the coin/token with Latin script.
He also sent me pics of a very nice 1561 Spanish King Philip II Coronation Taler. Seeing his coins and talking about them made me want to add to my collection, so I picked up a couple of silver dollars on my way home.
That German coin is Beautiful, and RICH in culture and history, I Love it. I think its in much better condition than the one in the auction. How did your friend get these coins?
Taking a break from swapping for a while, but still interested in pre 1799 Spanish coins, I will make time for that!
He tells me that they have been in his family for at least three generations, but he didn't know anything about them. I had a hard time finding information on them as well. I am glad I came here.
