Posted on 01/29/2005 5:10:32 AM PST by MississippiMasterpiece
Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) January 28, 2005 -- After decades of seeking possible answers about a mysterious UFO-like design on a 17th century French copper coin, a prominent numismatic expert says it remains just that: an unidentified flying object. After a half-century of research, the design has defied positive identification by the numismatic community.
"It was made in the 1680s in France and the design on one side certainly looks like it could be a flying saucer in the clouds over the countryside," said Kenneth E. Bressett of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a former President of the 32,000-member American Numismatic Association and owner of the curious coin.
"Is it supposed to be a UFO of some sort, or a symbolic representation of the Biblical Ezekiel's wheel? After 50 years of searching, I've heard of only one other example of it, and nothing to explain the unusual design."
Bressett said the mysterious piece is not really a coin, but a "jeton," a coin-like educational tool that was commonly used to help people count money, or sometimes used as a money substitute for playing games. It is about the size of a U.S. quarter-dollar and similar to thousands of other jetons with different religious and educational designs that were produced and used in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.
"The design on this particular piece could be interpreted as showing either a UFO or Ezekiel's wheel, but little else. Some people think the Old Testament reference to Ezekiel's wheel may actually be a description of a long-ago UFO," he explained.
"The legend written in Latin around the rim is also mystifying. 'OPPORTUNUS ADEST' translates as 'It is here at an opportune time.' Is the object in the sky symbolic of needed rainfall, or a Biblical reference or visitors from beyond? We probably will never know for certain," said Bressett.
"It is part of the lure of numismatics that makes coin collecting so intriguing."
Wheel and broken axle.
What goes up Must come down Spinning wheel Got to go around Talkin' 'bout your troubles It's a cryin' sin Ride a painted pony Let the spinning wheel spin You got no money You got no home Spinning wheel All alone Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you You never learn Ride a painted pony Let the spinning wheel turn Did you find Your directing sign On the straight and narrow highway Would you mind a reflecting sign Just let it shine Within your mind And show you, the colors That are real Someone's waiting Just for you Spinning wheel Spinning true Drop all your troubles by the riverside Ride a painted pony Let the spinning wheel fly
I was first
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Can somebody translate the legend on the back?
They've come to take our women!
AND THIS JUST IN: Coin collecting still the second most boring hobby, right behind stamp collecting.
If it is a sundial, it would have 12 sections, not 16, right?
Those rivets look like wheel rivets.
LOL! To your tagline, too!
I think it says "I pray this (=the coin) will multiply through you (=the other gambler)". But my schoollatin hasn't seen action for a couple of years now. I might be wrong.
That'd be my guess. The first (recorded) *manned* hot air balloon was in France in 1783, but people must have been fiddling with smaller toy balloons long before that.
And the ornate patterns on the Mongolfier's balloon do bear a resemblance to the ones on the "thing" on the coin:
I don't think the front is translated right:
It should be "Convenience is there" (Perhaps "there is a better way to do things")
I think the back says: "Here because of our maker's design"
That was my "first" impression. UFO fell way down on the list.
Do I detect a underlying "snake oil" salesman trying to up the price of the "UFO" coin.
Art Bell would be proud.
I don't get it.
I'm reminded of the old story, where one of the astronauts, completely bored with
endless psychological tests, replied to every answer
in a Roshark Test (sp?)with sexual overtones.
The Doctor finally says " You know, you have a Sexual Obsession,
that could get you dropped from the program"
The astronaut answered " I'VE GOT A SEXUAL OBSESSION? “ HELL YOUR THE ONE WITH ALL THE DIRTY PICTURES!!!!”
"Hardon of the gods?"
What does colare mean? I remeber something like "to pray" or "to honor" (the gods). I think auctare means to make money or to multiply something
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