Beware of Coins Bearing Crosses
A warning that not all crosses are of Christian significance. The article appeared in the Numismatics International Bulletin in April 2002. Also in this folder are a filler item related to the foregoing, published in the July 2002 issue, and a useful response to that filler by Howard A, Daniel III, published in the September 2002 issue. To view all, click here.
Cocktails
An article on the strange combinations of themes to be found on some coins and medals. The article appeared in Numismatics International Bulletin in June 1998. To view, click here.
Columbia Farthings
My own hypothesis about a possible origin for these curious little tokens. The article appeared in Coin News in April 1999. To view, click here. (I would appreciate any feedback on this hypothesis, and would be glad to hear of alternative hypotheses.)
Dr Molnar’s Star of Bethlehem
My reply to Molnar’s theory about the nature of the Star of Bethlehem. The article was published in the Numismatics International Bulletin in Nov/Dec 2009. To view, click here.
From Period Coins to Ashmore Replicas
This article was published in the Numismatics International Bulletin in February 1996 (to view, click here), having originally appeared in Coin News in October 1995. An edited version of the article, but with additional photographs by Patrick Finn, later appeared in the Bulletin on Counterfeits, in vol.20, No.2 (1995/6) and Vol.22, No.2 (1997). The reason why I re-publish the article here is that these replicas remain potentially so troublesome to collectors that the more widely they are known the better. Trev Ashmore did produce a few more replicas after my listing had been put together for publication, and these are listed in the Addendum at the end of the article, as it appears here. After that, I rather lost contact with Trev, but I seem to remember him saying that he had ‘retired’ from the business, so I think that this may well be a complete listing. If anyone reading this knows otherwise, please let me know.
Modern Art on Ancient and Medieval Coins
This article appeared in two parts in Coin News – Part 1 in August 2000 (to view, click here), and Part 2 in September 2000 (to view, click here.) Also included is an item that came to my attention through a list of coin dealer Patrick Finn, who, alas, died in October 2000 (to view, click here.)
Of Hexagrams and Pentagrams
Geometry and its possible symbolic significance on coins, medals, amulets and lucky charms. The series appeared in 4 parts thus:
Part 1 – April 2001 (to view, click here);
Part 2 – May 2001 (to view, click here);
Part 3 – August 2001 (to view, click here);
Part 4 – October 2001 (to view, click here).
Of Virgins and Oak Trees
An article about some curious associations between the Virgin Mary and Oak trees, as seen through religious medals. The article was published in the Numismatics International Bulletin in August 2002. To view, click here.
The Strange Shores Series:
This series of articles on eccentric numismatic subjects was published in the following issues of the Numismatics International Bulletin:
Part I: Introduction (July 1996). To view, click here.
Part II: A Relic of Atlantis? August 1996). To view, click here.
Part III: The Numismatic Zodiac (September 1996). To view, click here.
Part IV: Numismatica Erotica (October 1996). To view, click here.
Part V: L.A,Stamp (November 1996). To view, click here.
Part VI: The Mabbott Sale Catalogue (December 1996). To view, click here.
Part VII: Who Discovered Where? (February 1997). To view, click here.
Part VIII: Aphrodite (May 1997). To view, click here.
Part IX: Of Visions and Astronauts (August 1997). To view, click here.
Part X: Simulacra (October 1997). To view, click here.