Find a Penny

 

Find a penny and pick it up and all the day you’ll have good luck. I heard this chant many times as a child in the southern portion of the United States but it is not restricted to the American South.

            The “lucky Penny” superstition has been known for thousands of years. Ancient peoples, just like many moderns, often believed in the power inherent in coins. Finding a coin was considered to be a sign of good luck, or of coming prosperity, because metals were considered to represent wealth and protection.

            Making a wish after throwing a coin into a fountain may have originated as giving a valuable offering to water deities.

            “A penny for your thoughts” carries the idea that your thoughts are valuable because the coin has value.

            After a coin flip, a coin landing with its head-side up (obverse) is considered to be a positive sign. A coin with the tails-side up (reverse) is considered to be negative. Some people will not pick up a coin from the street if the coin is in the tails up position. In American football, the referee determines first possession of the ball by the use of a coin flip.

            This may seem like a trivial and harmless holdover of an ancient superstition. Most people would view it in this way and, for the most part, it is. The children gleefully throwing coins into the fountain outside a restaurant and making a wish are totally innocent. Most adults have no idea of the origins of the superstition and have not given it a single thought, and probably never will. In its origins it is a demonstration of the use of Magick.

            Magick, as opposed to harmless stage magic (where you do not actually see what you think you see) is an ancient concept. The actual modern word, Magick, seems to have been originated by Aleister Crowley, an utterly evil and awful man who described himself as The Great Beast. His most famous quotation is “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”

            Magick is the intentional attempt to control reality by performing certain actions or saying certain words. It is an attempt to impose one’s will on the universe. It is an assertion of self as the master. If you gave them a coin, the water deities were obligated to grant you a wish. If you rubbed the lamp, the genie was your slave. If you said the correct words in the correct sequence, a demon could be forced to obey you.

            Simony is the practice of buying or selling objects held to be religiously sacred. It does not include the selling of modern Christian merchandise which, of itself, is not inherently holy or sacred.  Simony would be the selling, for personal profit, of materials or items or powers used in the official functions of the church. The word originates from Acts 8:18-24, where a magician, Simon Magus, offered money to Peter in an attempt to purchase the power to perform miracles. Peter angrily rejected Simon’s offer of money.

            The Bible clearly says that we are to avoid the intentional use of magic and the occult. Deuteronomy 18:10-11, 18:2; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31, 20:6,27; Isaiah 19:1-4; Ezekiel 13:20-21; 2 Kings 21:6; Revelation 21:8.

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            Your innocent child can probably still enjoy throwing a few coins into a fountain.

Use Any Combination of Coins

On a newspaper vending machine I saw this printed instruction: “Use any combination of coins.  Do not use pennies.”

What?  Although it is obvious that the writer meant “use any combination of coins, except pennies,” that is not what was said.  What was said was a logical inconsistency, an impossibility.

We must make sense in what we say and do.  This applies to Christians especially because “they” ARE watching us and listening to us.  We will be most effective when we are clearly understood, even though that will sometimes bring hostility to us.

When speaking to unbelievers we must talk to them in ways which they will understand.  To begin immediately quoting scripture to them will usually leave them absolutely cold because they do not recognize the authority of scripture.

The first step is to logically and coherently convince the unbeliever that there is a real “problem” in the world.  Many will not readily admit this.  Before we can present the solution which we know to be true, we must convince the unbeliever that everything is not OK as it is.  There can be no real listening without that recognition. We must also convince unbelievers that the solution to what is wrong does not lie with things which are, of themselves,  positive: education, social justice,  benevolent government, the elimination of poverty and hunger, science, the eradication of racism, better hygiene, environmentalism, the curing of diseases, respect for animals, etc.  Luckily for us, we are merely the instruments.  The Holy Spirit does the real work within the unbeliever.

Remember that we must be wise warriors.  Although, our ultimate adversary is, of course, Satan the Accuser, the prince of this world, the individual battles are not with enemies but with potential brothers and sisters. 

Biblical Coins

The earliest known coins minted during the rule of Herod Antipas (d. after 40 AD/CE), Tetrarch of Galilee ($ BC/BCE - 40 AD/CE), were issued in 19-20 AD/CE.  The words "Herod," "Tetrarch," and "Tiberias" appear on the coins.  Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, was the ruler of Judea at the time of Jesus' crucifixion.  He was banished in 40 AD/CE to Lugdunum (Lyons, France).

Surprisingly, many coins from the biblical period are available to modern collectors.  Below are links to several commercial sites which sell coins from ancient times.  The Forum site is especially interesting.  If you place your cursor on a picture of a coin, a box pops up which gives a description of the coin and its modern value.

One of the coins on the Forum site is a denarius, mentioned in Matthew 22:20-21.  It is valued at $900.00 (US).

Forvm Ancient Coins 

RomanCoins.net  

BiblicalMites.com 

Imperial Coins and Artifacts