Posted 4 years ago
mandfund
(1 item)
Trying to help my neighbor in his 70's to find out what these are. He found a bunch of these on his farm in his old barn near Atlanta, GA. He thinks they've been there for at least 40-50 years, based on where he found them, which means they are likely much older than that. I did a google reverse image search and nothing came up, so I guess they aren't very common. There are over a dozen different images on them, and he has about 100 of the coins. Some have different coloring. They appear to be made of ceramic or porcelain. Any ideas? Thank you!
Update: after he laid them out, he discovered that there is only 12 different images. I am certain these 12 images represent the 12 signs of the zodiac, but I still have no idea what they came from. A game? Fortune telling? The coins come in gold, silver/white and bronze colors.
This one looks like one of Atlanta's run for the medal medallions. Everyone that completes one of the races gets a medallion of some design as an award for completing which ever race they run in.
Atlanta marathon has been run for 57 years.
Curious what makes you think it looks like an Atlanta Marathon medallion from 40 + years ago? Do you have a photo of one? Every marathon medallion I've ever seen and every marathon I've run has the year, city and the words "Marathon" on them, i.e. "1983 Marine Corp Marathon", or "Boston Marathon 2001". Its a good guess, but trying to understand where you are getting this from.
I don't for a minute think this was a medallion awarded to a runner. I sooner think it is a medallion sold to spectators of the individual events. I once collected medallions and have had them from the Olympics, world fairs and even Cyrus McCormick. Most of the originals are roughly 3 inches in diameter but some as small as a silver dollar. The image on this one strikes me as being consistent with a marathon runner. You say you or your friend have a number of different ones. I would be interested in seeing a variety of what you have. You can make additional posts with up to 4 photo's each.
I'll see if he can take pics of more of them. I'm no believer in astrology, but I am an amateur astronomer. I think it is more likely a depiction of Virgo...the virgin. She is often depicted with legs crossed as a symbol of chastity, and a leafy branch or cluster of wheat to depict fertility, as in this coin. The image doesn't really look like a runner. I suspect these coins have something to do with astrology or the constellations or even Greek mythology.
I agree with zodiac theory, I’d bet the rest of them fall in with this. Curious to see the others
Just got some more coin photos from my neighbor. I think the Atlanta running medallion idea is clearly put to rest. So, I wonder what these came from? Some old game? He has a over a 100 of them, and said there are more symbols than just the twelve zodiac signs.
Virgo: virgin.
Taurus: bull.
Libra: scales
Sagittarious: archer
Leo: lion.
Okay...... I believe I found them or at least some of them. There are some tokens from the 70’s with the exact same images. They were called sex tokens or erotic sex tokens. I assure you I will have more info because I’m curious now and will have to find out what this was all about.
Huh...interesting. Thanks! I sure hope you find something on them. My old farmer friend will think this is very funny.