Re: [meteorite-list] Old meteor coins

[MexicoDoug]

No doubt some of the Roman Empire coins, and I bet a Greek coin or two put religious objects from the Gods on a few coins in veneration which some of the links suggest may have been meteorites.� Perhaps they were Roman Meteorwrongs, as Matteo wasn't there to check them, out, as I surfed to find if any of these original European-Middle-eastern objects of worship survived to be analyzed in the current day, the answer seems to be "no", or with a completely convincing history...perhaps the Syrian rock is an exception, though the Meteoritical Society probably wouldn't nearly let it by.

When considering old coins and Meteors, I think the much more exciting story, though only in a more contemporary sense would be the very first coins issued by the US in the early 1780's.� These coins were called "Constellatio Nova" (or Nova Constelletio more commonly in modern times because of somewhat ambiguous way the two words were laid out; I don't know why it wouldn't be Novo Constelletio, other than assuming that the word Constelletio is feminine, as it is in the modern Latin languages).� That translates to the birth of the "New Constellation", which was a popular common man's symbol of reference of the British American Colonies birth as a country during the revolution.

The Nova Constelletio coins picture what looks like a Sunburst, but is in actuality a deeply religious message as well, easily as much as the more ancient beautiful Roman coins.� This reflected the thought of the US founding fathers, with a little help in the late 1770's by a French designer, as they reconciled a secular government that was favored by God.� The center is simply an eye with rays of light originating from it in a circular pattern and thirteen stars appearing in the basically circular pattern at the limits of the "explosion".

While the original intent may not have been to depict them as meteors in our modern sense, but rather as new stars forming a new constellation, it would be best not to judge them as meteorwrongs so quickly.� On the contrary, in 1776-1783, I don't think the difference between a meteor and a bona fide nuclear powered star was well established, I somehow doubt that the concept of a star going nova or supernova was understood at all.� That leaves the very plausible, if not probably and romantic explanation of the concept and coin depicting the thirteen colonies as meteors.� Benjamin Franklin had argued against the rising sun as a symbol, as he pointed out it could be a setting Sun as well.� So meteors were certainly a better choice.

Back to the Nova Constelletio pattern...Jefferson (who if anyone would have had an idea of what a meteorite was, sadly did not) resisted the design for reasons apparently completely unrelated to the design.� Jefferson supported a decimal system and new coinage denominations that were recognizable to the average person, rather than the Nova Constelletio set, which had odd, large numbers of unit divisions (1,440 or something like that) that in no way corresponded to the Spanish Milled Dollar which was the most recognizable currency in circulation at the time.� So it was for political reasons that the designed best described as the most Meteoric in the history of well-documented civilization.� And while Jefferson and his outstanding intelligence was an asset to the new Republic, we can observe that his normally scientific acumen was quite ignorant regarding meteorites, upon being notified of a probably witnessed fall, from his biography, which at a stretch might explain also why the meteoric design didn't stick to the coins after the re-denomination (assigning of the dollar and decimal divisions) rework:

....One day Thomas Jefferson was apprised of reports that something had fallen from above. He was skeptical, to say the least: "I would sooner believe that two Yankee professors lied," he declared, "than that stones fell from the sky."...

(Well, I do declare :))

These coins never became established firmly in the US, though enjoyed an initial wide circulation.� The meteoric design survives and thrives; however, as the Great Seal of the United States of America, both front (eagle) and back (pyramid), and a similar "Eye of Providence" from which the meteors emanate on the original coins can be seen on the back of a US one dollar bill at the top of the Great Pyramid in many of your wallets and purses.� The bolides are there (look at it) and have multiplied through the years.� A further interesting note is that the pyramid upon which the divine eye rests is not completed, and the triangle in which the eye floats above is not part of it.� It is more along the lines of the Christian Trinity that a triangle is around the eye, also called the "Eye of Providence," in a sense replacing pagan and militantly religious views with a Christian leaning secular thought (oddly the seal's Latin say "God favors our cause; New Secular Order").� The entire message tending to be religion is OK, but knowledge is divine.� This reflects the negotiation of religion and paganism (pyramid foundation) vs. science (Eye related to the divine creator but not well defined, other than "creator").

Now the front side of the Great Seal of the US with the Eagle also has the thirteen stars on the interior of the meteor trails forming the circle, grouped in pattern of a six-pointed star above the eagle's head.� Here the meteor trails more resemble some of the original Nova Constelletio patterns, but the stars are on the wrong side if we are to believe they are meteors.� They are on the interior of a circle of clouds.

The meteoric trails on both sides of the seal can be perhaps better understood considering that a competing though also complementary explanation for the meteoric trails, collectively called a "Glory", is based on the rays of light formed by the Sun as it penetrates the clouds.� This also represents God's "Light".

Actually both the God's light and the birth of the "new constellation" are behind the symbols on the US $1 bill, and this is still a modern interpretation of the original symbols (The new constellation is modernly very misrepresented by arranging the five pointed stars in a six-pointed star, for example, and they never were five or six pointed stars originally, but rather asterisks).� Going back to the originals it is self evident to me that the new constellation, Nova Constelletio, is unambiguously meteoric given the knowledge at the time.

Also, the original constellation of thirteen stars in dark blue field are arranged in a circle principally because of the meteoric explosion creating the new constellation, where material is ejected in a uniform...equality...way.

Considering the understanding of meteors at the time, it is obvious that these Nova Constelletio coins depict what would be considered at that time quite reasonable as a divine meteor shower where the shooting stars organized into the new constellation, a.k.a., the new nation.� Also, that's why there are stars in the US flag and they are all meteors by 18th century thought.

If Ben Franklin knew what we know today, you can bet he would have come up with some snide remarks on how meteors can become meteorites, or worse yet vaporized.� Remember, he's the one with the setting/rising Sun Joke, and the one who thought the Turkey should have trumped the Eagle for the national symbol.

Some of you might point out that the Nova Constelletio design doesn't commemorate or venerate specific stones.� That, in part is the point, just a meteor shower is an event, that is precisely what some of the founding fathers of the US had in mind, and the religious meaning behind it is unalienable:).� As discussed, none of the ones on the Roman coins are confirmed or known, either, and I personally find the historical record of the Nova Constelletio coins fascinating when waliking around the candystore of coins.

Clear Skies & Pleasant Deserts.
Doug Dawn
Monterrey