299 – Coins in box

Physical description:

Ceramic box with a picture of a rustic scene on top, containing two lucky coins - one a small coin with a silver mount, the other an old penny stamped all over with the number 9. It originally contained 5 coins, but 3 were lost in the 2004 flood.

Museum classification:

Spells & Charms

Size:

75 x 50 x 25

Information:

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'In folklore luck is depicted in many forms of symbolism. But for most people luck means money - a lot of money - so it is natural that coins feature large as luck bringers, like to like, the power of attraction. But these luck coins must in themselves be out of the ordinary. So here we find in a neat little decorated oblong china box the collection of lucky coins used by Mrs Dorothea May - known to her clients as Dodo - of Plymouth, Millbay. The collection consists of five coins - holed - bent - cross shaped - cross marked and punch stamped with the lucky figure number nine.'
A visitor to the museum from Oxfordshire has told us that many buildings there have coins deposited under the windowsills. The idea is that if witches or evil spirits attempt to get in through the window they will steal the coins and leave instead of entering. Some buildings also have witch stones built into the walls - these are stones with a triangular cross section and a flat top. The witch can't hide under them, but instead has to sit on the top.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Metal, ceramic

Copyright ownership:

Copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'In folklore luck is depicted in many forms of symbolism. But for most people luck means money - a lot of money - so it is natural that coins feature large as luck bringers, like to like, the power of attraction. But these luck coins must in themselves be out of the ordinary. So here we find in a neat little decorated oblong china box the collection of lucky coins used by Mrs Dorothea May - known to her clients as Dodo - of Plymouth, Millbay. The collection consists of five coins - holed - bent - cross shaped - cross marked and punch stamped with the lucky figure number nine.'
A visitor to the museum from Oxfordshire has told us that many buildings there have coins deposited under the windowsills. The idea is that if witches or evil spirits attempt to get in through the window they will steal the coins and leave instead of entering. Some buildings also have witch stones built into the walls - these are stones with a triangular cross section and a flat top. The witch can't hide under them, but instead has to sit on the top.