What would you consider the most "religious" foreign or ancient coin to be?

FoundingFather · July 2, 2006 11:08PM

If you have a few that are tie, that's fine - but the one or few that stick out to you the most is what I am looking for. Not necessarily to you personally, because the image on the coin reminds you of your dead Aunt or something - but the ones you feel represent "the most religious" in a general, objective, basic human way.

Oh, and please explain why you made the selection you did.

1jester · July 3, 2006 2:26AM

If I had unlimited wealth, I'd do a collection along the theme of Thalers (or fractions thereof) commemorating baptisms or other religion-related topics. I've seen literally hundreds of deeply religious and meaningful Thalers from the 16th-19th centuries. Waaaaay cool.

FoundingFather · July 3, 2006 3:06AM

I think collecting coins based solely on religious significance is a great idea.

ajaan · July 3, 2006 3:10AM

The Madonna and Child are on many talers and partial talers.

Aethelred · July 3, 2006 3:20AM

The Pope on one side and Saint Peter in a boat on the other, what could be more religious?

ajaan · July 3, 2006 3:25AM

Geez! Vatican, of course.

Aethelred · July 3, 2006 3:48AM

<< Geez! Vatican, of course.

>>

Largest religion in the world after all!

ajaan · July 3, 2006 3:55AM

I thought that was Buddhism or perhaps Hinduism.

<< Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 837 million followers - 13% of the world's population. 2 It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. According to the "Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches," there are about 1.1 million Hindus in the U.S. 3 The "American Religious Identification Survey" is believed to be more accurate. 4 They estimated smaller number: 766,000 Hindus in 2001. Still, this is a very significant increase from 227,000 in 1990. Statistics Canada estimates that there are about 157,015 Hindus in Canada. >>

Guess I am incorrect again.

1. Christianity 1,900,174,000 33.6

- Roman Catholic 1,058,069,000 18.7

- Protestant 391,143,000 6.9

- Orthodox 174,184,000 3.1

- Anglican 78,038,000 1.4

- Other Christians 199,707,000 3.5
2. Islam 1,033,453,000 18.3
3. Hinduism 764,000,000 13.5
4. Buddhism 338,621,000 6.0
5. Chinese folk religion 149,336,000 2.6
6. New-Religions 128,975,000 2.3
7. Tribal religion 99,150,000 1.8
8. Sikh 20,204,000 0.4
9. Judaism (Jews) 13,451,000 0.2
10. Shamanism 11,010,000 0.2
11. Confucianism 6,334,000 0.1
12. Baha'i 5,835,000 0.1
13. Jain 3,987,000 0.1
14. Shintoism 3,387,000 0.1
Other religions 20,419,000 0.4
Nonreligious 924,078,000 16.3
Atheism 239,111,000 4.2
total population 5,661,525,000 100.0
source: Encyclopedia Britannica.

shirohniichan · July 3, 2006 4:47AM

A "widow's mite" (bronze prutah) should make the list.

1jester · July 3, 2006 4:55AM

My current icon coin!

MacCrimmon · July 3, 2006 6:32AM

<< My current icon coin!

>>

Ah!! The 2-headed El Diablo/Pope medal. But, it's a medal, not a "coin".

GDJMSP · July 3, 2006 8:44AM

How 'bout this one - 1730 Augsburg ducat celebrating the Reformation.

Bailathacl · July 3, 2006 9:25AM

I've always thought those Malta issues with the head of John the Baptist on a platter were pretty dramatic....

DorkGirl · July 3, 2006 9:30AM

<< I've always thought those Malta issues with the head of John the Baptist on a platter were pretty dramatic.... >>

Me too.....

cladking · July 3, 2006 10:23AM

The first thing to come to mind were the Austrian virgin and child coins but this
may be largely just that they are so well done. There are many religious symbols
on coins from all over the world from most eras. There are extensive religious
motifs and wording on the Iranian coinage.

Hungarian coins may be the clear winner though. Especially the coins from the early
20th century.

FoundingFather · July 3, 2006 10:44AM

There's too much to know. That's a VERY cool thing about this hobby - there are so many different areas that so many people can be experts at.

trozau · July 3, 2006 1:05PM

1-Year issue 1855 Bavaria 2 Gulden

crito · July 3, 2006 3:28PM

Byzantine and Venetian coins beyond a doubt.

ozzysdad · July 3, 2006 11:21PM

The Widow's Mite, And the 30 piece's of silver Tyrian Shekel's that Judas received for the betrayal of Jesus.....

Seem's that these coin's would be the two most important type's from a religious standpoint?

Aethelred · July 4, 2006 1:31AM

<< The Widow's Mite >>

Sylvestius · July 4, 2006 6:18PM

Athenian Owl tets.

STLNATS · July 5, 2006 2:13AM

For Paul VI's trip to the holy land in 1964. Tough to beat this for religiousity!

STLNATS · July 5, 2006 2:19AM

Another previously posted medal, but tough to beat. The reverse deals with indulgences so may be considered more with "religion" than "religiousness."

FoundingFather · July 5, 2006 5:17AM

STLNATS, you ain't kididin'!

Sylvestius · July 6, 2006 4:04AM

That last one in particular i have to agree has something about it!

Here's one that's always got me, two religions co-existing together, it's the 10th century, the Christian cross at the top and the hammer of Thor at the bottom.

England has always been a very multicultural country regardless of what Nationalists over the ages might say, in this instance Christianity meets Asatru.

I have to say i always fancied one, for obvious reasons.

FoundingFather · July 6, 2006 9:27AM

VERY nice.

What would you consider the most &quot;religious&quot; foreign or ancient coin to be?

Comments

What would you consider the most "religious" foreign or ancient coin to be?