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MORE ON GUY FAWKES AND THE GUNPOWDER PLOTRon Haller-Williams submitted these thoughts and references on the 1605 Gunpowder plot token discussed last week. Thanks! -Editor
 In the piece on "1605 GUNPOWDER PLOT JETON" (v20n17a32), you say: "Thanks to Jeff for highlighting the piece. What other numismatic items commemorate the event?" First, I would like to make a few points, not mentioned in the E-Sylum piece or at the Coin World page cited: (a) The jeton has a hidden date (chronogram), in NON DORMITASTI ANTISTES IACOBI – the letters which equate to Roman numerals (DMII I ICI) are larger, and add up to MDCIIIII = 1605. (b) Amongst the rays is a sort of circle made up of thorns, no doubt intended to refer to Jesus' "crown of thorns" and also perhaps at least some of the other references to thorns in the Bible? (see e.g. https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Thorns or https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/thorns/ - though to me they look a bit like the "double helix" of the DNA molecule!) (c) These thorns also appear to be an ironic counterpart to the ROSA SINE SPINA motto on some coins, including the Thistle Penny of "James Sixt and First". (d) Representing France is not a single lys (stylised lily) but four lilies (not stylised enough to be called lys) (e) As mentioned by Gerard van Loon (Vol.2 page 21/22 of either edition), the lilies (of France) help hide the snake. (f) As also mentioned by van Loon, the S.C. is for Senatus Consulto – or, more correctly in my view, Senatu Consulto. (g) The verse referred to is Psalm 121:4 - "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (KJV) Vulgate: "Ecce non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel." (Psalm 120!) (h) There is probably an allusion to this event and/or the jeton in Shakespeare's "Macbeth", when Macbeth's wife says to him, "Look like th'innocent flower, but be the serpent under't." (i) It is listed in Hawkins, Medallic Illustrations, 1 p196.19 – and the B.M. have the specimen owned by Hawkins! (j) It is actually a cinquefoil not rose or rosette at the start/finish of the chronogrammatic legend. I am not happy about "ratted out the previous day": Lord Monteagle (also a Catholic, and brother-in-law of one of the conspirators) received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend this parliament. On 1st November, this was shown to the king, who (unlike others) immediately realised that the expression "they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament" referred to an explosion – probably because his own father had been killed in an explosion. Although Fawkes was seen in the undercroft on 4th, with a large pile of firewood which he said belonged to his master, Thomas Percy, he left at the same time as the searchers. Because Percy was known to be a Catholic agitator, a more thorough search was ordered; this happened around (or shortly after) midnight – Fawkes was again there, and it was seen that the firewood was hiding 36 barrels of gunpowder. See:
Pinkerton, in his "The Medallic History of England to the Revolution: With Forty Plates" (1790), makes two mistakes (page 30. #7): (a) He translates NON DORMITASTI ANTISTES IACOBI as “Thou hast not slept, O High Priest James!" (b) He says, "The numeral letters being picked out, make the year M.D.C.III." - having failed to pick out the I...I in DORMITASTI. Anyway, here is my offering for a list of "5th November 1605" numismatic items, based in part (#2 thru #6) on a "Fourth Garrideb" item, referenced by The E-Sylum
(v18n46a21), at http://fourthgarrideb.com/2015/11/numismatic
1) that jeton, see http://www.coinworld.com/news/world-coins/2017/
2) British £2 of 2005, with correct edge legend “REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER”, as described; has anybody noticed that the maces, croziers and swords are somewhat reminiscent of the rays in the above jeton? 3) As above, but with error (or poor quality) edge as in the accompanying photo though not noted in the article – looks more like "PEMEMBER PEMEMBER"; many such coins are being offered for sale on eBay at a considerable premium. 4) (2014) undated copper round (1 ounce, not 20!) by the Presston Mint of New York City as part of their Apocalypze medal series, featuring a Guy Fawkes mask. 5) undated copper round (1 ounce, not 20!) by Copperhead Bullion, featuring Guy Fawkes in front of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. The reverse shows several kegs of gunpowder. See also http://guyfawkescoin.com/ 6) a "hobo nickel" by Stephen D. Cox 7) Cook Islands 5 dollars 2016, see http://agaunews.com/cultural-icon-guy-fawkes-mask-adorns-new-silver-coin-powercoin/ or
https://firstcoincompany.com/S/cook-islands-1st-anonymous
8) Cook Islands 5 dollars 2017, see https://firstcoincompany.com/S/cook-islands-2nd
9) Isle of Man Crown, 2005 (fireworks night over the 1830s Palace of Westminster), see http://www.pobjoy.com/products/view/isle-of-man-2005-remember-remember-the-5th-of-november-gunpowder-treason-an or https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/320670435946974735/ 10) Isle of Man Crown, 2005 (Yeoman Warders and the Tower of London), see http://www.pobjoy.com/products/view/isle-of-man-2005-400th-anniversary-of-the-gunpowder-plot-tower-of-london-cu or
Note: Both the above are now "dead links", but see http://ancienthackney.blogspot.co.uk/2010/
11) Very similar to the mask on #6 is the "WE ARE ANONYMOUS / WE ARE LEGION" mask on the round/pendant at
12) A guitar pick made from #4 above, see
13) several defaced banknotes, see
To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
 Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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