Superstitions and Traditions Linked to Coins

Superstitions have existed within civilisations for millennia. Despite the advancements of science and understanding of the world, certain superstitions and beliefs remain as popular and ingrained within cultures today as they did in the time of the ancient Greeks.

Whilst similar in their longevity, traditions are passed down through generations and represent significance for a particular culture or community.

Given their use in society for thousands of years, coins have naturally become entwined with many superstitions and traditions. From being used as an offer to the gods to featuring in the coin tosses of modern sporting events, here we delve into the stories behind the four coins in our Superstitions and Traditions Collection.

An Offering to the Gods

Superstition as a concept dates to the ancient Greek word ‘deisidaimonia’, which back then was deemed positive as it meant being ‘scrupulous in religious matters’. A century later, the meaning shifted and the term was associated with excessive piety, which bears ancestral links to the modern-day conception of superstition.

Interestingly, the ancient Greeks had their own set of superstitions related to their gods. One practice that became linked to coins in ancient Greek mythology is the act of paying Charon, the ferrymen that transports souls across the river Styx to the underworld, the realm of Hades. The Greeks would bury their dead with a coin, sometimes placed over the eye, as an offering to the ferrymen.

The Romans, who borrowed so much from Greek culture and its mythology, continued the practice but extended it to maritime voyage. Before a journey, a coin would be placed underneath a mast. If the ship sank, the crew onboard had the peace of mind that if they lost their lives at sea, the ferryman would receive his payment and transport them to the afterlife. Over the centuries, the practice endured but came to be associated more with good luck.

In 2021, a Queen Victoria farthing dating back to 1894 was found beneath the mast of HMS Victory, Lord Nelson’s flagship and the famous vessel he commanded during the Battle of Trafalgar. Still a fully commissioned ship in the Royal Navy, although now permanently kept in a dry dock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, it could be argued the coin brought luck upon the ship given it remains intact all these centuries later.

Criminals and Coin Hunters

Laying coins underneath the foundations of a new building is a superstition that has existed for millennia and is sometimes referred to as builders’ rites. In 1933, there was no need for The Royal Mint to strike pennies for general circulation as British banks possessed such large stocks of the coin.

However, a limited number – believed to be no more than six or seven – were struck; three were laid beneath new buildings and the others were kept by The Royal Mint Museum and the British Museum. The problem is, no accurate record was kept and therefore an entire generation became enthralled by the idea of finding an elusive, 1933-dated penny appearing in their change.

As with many rare artefacts, the mystery and rarity surrounding the 1933 penny attracted the attention of thieves and in August 1970, the set of coins deposited beneath the foundation stone of the Church of St Cross, Middleton, near Leeds were stolen. This prompted the bishop of St Mary’s Church in Kirkstall, Leeds, to remove the coins buried underneath the building’s foundations and they were then sold. The third set of coins laid underneath a building of that year is still thought to be in place.

Heads or Tails?

The coin toss is a tradition long associated with sporting events, from international spectacles to matches at a grassroots level. Cricket, football and rugby union have often employed a coin toss to decide what team will begin the match or test.

In some instances, the coin toss has even been used to decide the outcome of a game, like in the 1968 UEFA Football Championship semi-finals. Neither Italy nor the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) could break the 0-0 deadlock, but the Italians earned their way into the final thanks to their captain, Giacinto Facchetti, who correctly called the coin toss to settle the game.

The following year, a coin toss took place during the 1969 FA Cup final played between Leicester City and Manchester City to decide who would kick the match off, but the coin used also represented a monumental change for British coinage.

The seven-sided 50p coin used for the coin toss played a big part in decimalisation, which took place in 1971. The use of the coin at such a popular, well-watched sporting event served as a soft publicity launch, with the wider campaign ramping up in the autumn of that year.

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The sixpence, or ‘tanner’ as it was affectionately known, was a popular British coin introduced in 1551. Steeped in myth and tradition, the sixpence was a part of British coinage for more than four centuries. In 1980, it was demonetised, although it remains associated with particular traditions and is still considered a symbol of luck and prosperity.

The sixpence plays a part in wedding ceremonies, where it is traditionally slipped into a bride’s shoe to symbolise luck and fortune as the couple embarks on their journey of marriage. Another tradition where the sixpence takes centre stage is Stir-up Sunday, during which the coin is stirred into the mixture for the Christmas pudding on the last Sunday before Advent.

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