Possibly should be in an archaeology section? Tiniest coin...and a thread for Avalonians to post personal and significant treasures they stumble across :)

[Victoria]

Just walked outside moments ago, lost in creative thought to brainstorm about a new project, when I looked down and glinting like a beacon in the sun was a tiny silver disk in front my feet. It's so tiny that I'm amazed I saw it, though it shone against the sandstone like a silvery star in the morning light.

Seems to be a minuscule silver coin...with a haloed figure on one side, and a crusade type cross on the other, encircled by symbols I do not recognize. I also picked up a piece of petrified wood and a little bone fragment next to it. These were very near to where I found the triangular stone with etchings a while back. Such little relics tend to pop up with a message or some sort of sequential significance for me... at the moment I'm just in awe.

Other recent finds in the same area were minute reptile fossils, an antique key, anthill rubies, piles of petrified wood cuttings, arrow shards and rough emeralds.

Do any Avalonians have ideas about this coin's origin or the symbols on it? and by all means, if anyone would like to share their own unexpected treasures and delightful findings which have held significance for them in this thread, Please do! and if you want to change the title, please do!


* just to note, that is my pinky finger and my hands are fairly small, if this gives some idea about how petite the coin is. Also placed atop a penny.

[shaberon]

Very interesting...I can't see the details well enough to say anything.

The "halo" is typically Byzantine. It might be a typical find wherever the Greeks have been. But of course that could mean since the 1900s or something fairly modern. The piece is too regular to claim a very ancient provenance. Any guesses as to the background of the area where found?

[rgray222]

Have you had any clue as to the message that these little treasures are communicating? I often find that there is some significance attached to the odd, unusual little gems that we discover. Unfortunately, it is never the meaning of life or the secrets of the universe, but it's from someone who has moved on beyond this life. For me, the message is more often than not a personalised hello. It sometimes takes me a week or two to figure it out.

[Victoria]

Hi Shaberon,

Thank you! I'm boggled by how it could end up where I found it, even if it's just a replica or silly trinket.

I reached out to Dumbarton Oaks based on what you mention, to see if they might have any ideas of the authenticity. (https://www.doaks.org/research/byzantine)


It was found on private property at about a 6,200 ft elevation in the wooded hills of northern New Mexico along the Pecos River (no Greek history that I am aware of) which has been privately owned (without public access) for the last 75-100 years. Part of the old Los Trigos land grant.

An online description from a portion of land here that sold recently:

"The property was once home to the indigenous
people of the Pecos Pueblo. Numerous cultural resources have been uncovered, including pottery shards,
stone axe heads, numerous arrowheads, and even a native American field house from the 1300s. The
Santa Fe National Historic Trail crosses the southern end of the property."

Maybe, if real, it found its way to this location via the old trade routes and railroad... to be uncovered by recent rains.

Here are some slightly better photos...

[Victoria]

Have you had any clue as to the message that these little treasures are communicating? I often find that there is some significance attached to the odd, unusual little gems that we discover.

rgray222,

Yes, I agree! It's amazing when these wonderful little things occur, though I haven't the slightest clue what it would mean at the moment or who it might be from. The only thing different in the last 18 hours, is that I sat outside last night feeling estranged from the stars and nature during recent weeks, and longing to connect again.

Then this morning, near to where I sat was this tiny curiosity.

[Victoria]

ah haha!!! I just figured it out looking at the photos after posting...

It's a benedictine medal, which makes more sense for this area...and ironically is suitable even if it is a personally directed message.

"The letters stand for the Latin words Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux: Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux which means "May the Holy Cross be My Light: Let Not the Devil be My Guide.""

The Letters CSPB in the 4 angles around the cross stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti , the Latin for "Cross of the Holy Father Benedict."

Around the outer edge of the of the medal are the letters V.R.S.N.S.M.V.-- S.M.Q.L.I.V.B, which stand for the Latin Vade Retro Satana (Begone Satan) Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana (Never Suggest Vain Things to Me), Sunt Mala Quae Libas (What You Offer Me is Evil) Ipse Venena Bibas (Drink your own Poison).


Please feel free anyone else who finds fascinating little treasures, messages and oddities to share in this thread... and may we all be protected from any that would will us harm

[RatRodRob...RRR]

Its not a coin but a St Benedict pendant/medal, i cant post pics on here but a google search should be easy.................................... RRR

[shaberon]

Posted by Victoria (here)
It's a benedictine medal, which makes more sense for this area...

Yes, it does.

There is probably an incalculable amount of mission work across there.

The face is perhaps supposed to be St. Benedict.

I relent on my anti-religious stance in cases where some of those missions were humble, providing some of the only food, medicine, education, etc., in some very destitute areas. I get the sense this token probably represents *that*, rather than the Conquistadors. Although New Mexico was also exploited by early oil rigs. That doesn't seem a likely explanation either.

I've never personally found anything that interesting. I found a river rock in Texas that seems to have a hole drilled by stone age means. A few arrowheads, flint and quartz. That's about all.

A few years ago, I found the end of the rainbow. It's not remotely interesting. Just stops.

Draco is considered Latin for Devil? Yes, they notoriously write things in those abbreviations, but that seems like an unusual choice.

[Johnnycomelately]

Posted by shaberon (here)

A few years ago, I found the end of the rainbow. It's not remotely interesting. Just stops.

It is well known that at the end of every rainbow, is pot. Could it be that you smoked so much, that you just plain forgot?

[shaberon]

Posted by Johnnycomelately (here)

Posted by shaberon (here)

A few years ago, I found the end of the rainbow. It's not remotely interesting. Just stops.

It is well known that at the end of every rainbow, is pot. Could it be that you smoked so much, that you just plain forgot?

Yeah, I did. I tried really, really hard. It consisted of sitting in a comfy chair for at least twenty minutes. The thing literally dropped onto the *street* right in front of the house. It did nothing. It just rainbowed in such a way that you could check out all the colors and verify the law of refraction. Kind of nice.

I semi-trained myself to look for atmospheric optical events, and have managed to find a faint/partial third order of a rainbow, but still nothing for the sun dogs, green flash, etc., so it's an empty bag along with the testimony that whatever someone else's rainbow found, mine didn't.