The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 9, February 26, 2006, Article 14

GOOD LUCK COIN FOUND IN MEDIEVAL SHIP WRECKAGE

Arthur Shippee forwarded an article referenced in The Explorator
newsletter about the discovery of an early French coin in the
ruins of a medieval ship:

"The discovery of the 15th Century coin is being interpreted
as a sign that the ship came originally from France.

Experts believe the coin was new and was intended to be a good
luck charm.

Project leader Kate Hunter said a colleague was shaking when
she found the coin. She said: "We all understood immediately
how important it was."

The Newport ship is the most complete surviving 15th Century
vessel discovered in recent years. It was found on the banks
of the river during the construction of The Riverfront arts centre.

The coin, wrapped in tarred caulking, was discovered in one of
the wooden timbers being studied by the city council's ship
recording team."

"It was in a hole cut above the ship's keel at the point where
it connects to the stem-post, the timber which forms the bow."

"She said: "We think it's been put in as a good luck charm. There's
a long tradition in ships of putting coins under the mast or in the
keel as a good luck charm."

The coin has been identified by expert Edward Besly from the
National Museum of Wales as a petit blanc of the Dauphin Louis
de France, who became Louis X1 in 1461.

Minted in the town of Crémieu between 1440 to 1456, the coin
comes from Dauphiné, an area of south-eastern France traditionally
held by the Dauphin, the eldest son of the king of France."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor 
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum