CHRISTMAS COINS NATIVITY SCENE

 

Lot 239 Auction: 13th - 15th September 2017 Coins and Historical Medals from the Collection formed by the late Revd. Charles Campbell. Sold for £6,000 Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000. Papal States, Clement VII, Quarter-Ducato, Holy Year issue [1525], nativity scene, rev. Pope opening the Holy Door, 9.70g/12h Illustration kind permission of © Dix Noonan Webb.

Saint Francis of Assisi is believed to have first had the idea of a nativity scene in 1223. Perhaps he wanted to bring the story to life in a simple way. He had been on a visit to the Holy Land, where he had visited Jesus's traditional birthplace. The typical nativity scene, now used in churches across the world, has been adopted for this Papal coin. Giulio de' Medici was born in about 1478 in Florence. He was the nephew of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and was elected pope on 19 November 1523, with the name Clement VII. He was a patron of artists like Raphael, Michelangelo and Cellini. In 1525 he proclaimed a Holy Year and commissioned a special issue of commemorative coins. The reverse shows the pope using a silver hammer to break down the Holy Door of St. Peter's, while in the clouds above St. Peter with his key unlocks the gate of Heaven.

The Nativity scene in contrast to the papal figure is simple and informal. There is a very homely feel with the animals peering over the stall.

Mary the mother of Jesus looks pleased but Saint Joseph looks slightly overwhelmed. The baby, Himself, is robust and hearty and is quite large for a new born. Interestingly the monks on the other side, who are admiring the Pope's actions look more like shepherds to me. The Latin inscription Hodie Salus Facta Est Mundo: Today the salvation of the World is accomplished.

If you cannot afford £6,000.00 for a coin with a nativity scene, here is how to recreate one with modern (mainly) coins!

 

I have chosen a 1958 halfpenny from Ghana with a star to go on the top.

The next coin represents the inn. An inn is a place that serves food and drink where you can stay overnight. There are plenty of Seventeenth Century trade tokens featuring inns. I have chosen one from the King's Head in Aylesbury issued by William Dawney when he was innkeeper in 1657. The inn is still open to this day.

Then for animals we have a 2 rupee coin from Nepal with a pair of oxen, a sheep on a Falkland Islands 20 pence a two pence from Guernsey with a cow and a baby cow and a donkey on a two pence from Saint Helena. The coin in the centre is a 20 pence from Gibraltar featuring the Madonna and baby Jesus.

Angels bit more difficult as not have a gold angel lying around but I did find a shepherd and sheep, not on a coin but on a medallion from the Cromwell era. This is a Dutch copy of a medallion dated 1658.

 

No wise men! Have to leave that to January. Happy collecting Christmas

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