2757 – Charm: Coin

Physical description:

A small silver coin (19th century British), drilled with a hole so that it could be worn as a good luck charm.

Museum classification:

Protection (Good Luck)

Size:

16mm diam.

Information:

The coin is a silver fourpenny piece. Silver threepenny bits and sixpences were also popular as good luck charms at various times.
It is dated 1837, and although rather worn the head appears to be that of William IV.
These coins were also traditionally put in Christmas puddings to bring good luck to the people who happened to find them in their helpings.
It is possible that the magical significance attached to these coins is connected to their being regarded as symbols of the moon (see the analysis of the rhyme 'There was a crooked man' by Mildred Kirk in her book 'The Everlasting Cat').
The donor writes that this is likely to be a Holy Sacrament coin - a coin that had been offered at communion, and was thought to have thereby acquired the power to ward off or cure diseases such as rheumatism and epilepsy. She writes, "I have always understood that such coins were purchased from the vicar at the 'going rate' of a shillings' worth for thirteen pence. Silver coins such as the one I have donated were usually pierced, not only so that they could be threaded as a charm but so they would not be confused with 'ordinary' coins and accidentally spent! The hole was always made near the edge of the coin as it would be disrespectful to deface the image of the queen (or king). Copper coins were also used, but often simply bent or marked with a cross to set them apart from 'ordinary' coins. A coin with a person's own birth-year on it would of course be particularly effective."

A visitor to the museum has said that silver fourpenny pieces are extremely rare.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Metal (silver)

The coin is a silver fourpenny piece. Silver threepenny bits and sixpences were also popular as good luck charms at various times.
It is dated 1837, and although rather worn the head appears to be that of William IV.
These coins were also traditionally put in Christmas puddings to bring good luck to the people who happened to find them in their helpings.
It is possible that the magical significance attached to these coins is connected to their being regarded as symbols of the moon (see the analysis of the rhyme 'There was a crooked man' by Mildred Kirk in her book 'The Everlasting Cat').
The donor writes that this is likely to be a Holy Sacrament coin - a coin that had been offered at communion, and was thought to have thereby acquired the power to ward off or cure diseases such as rheumatism and epilepsy. She writes, "I have always understood that such coins were purchased from the vicar at the 'going rate' of a shillings' worth for thirteen pence. Silver coins such as the one I have donated were usually pierced, not only so that they could be threaded as a charm but so they would not be confused with 'ordinary' coins and accidentally spent! The hole was always made near the edge of the coin as it would be disrespectful to deface the image of the queen (or king). Copper coins were also used, but often simply bent or marked with a cross to set them apart from 'ordinary' coins. A coin with a person's own birth-year on it would of course be particularly effective."

A visitor to the museum has said that silver fourpenny pieces are extremely rare.