And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
My favorite dime
Who recognizes what that is on the reverse? Times, and dimes, have changed, for sure.
Fasces. It's a bundle of rods and a battle ax. It symbolizes unity and strength. If I didn't collect coins then I probably wouldn't have known this. I really am getting old. I remember when you would occasionally get one of those in change. Sometimes you might also get a Buffalo nickel, an Indian Head penny or a Standing Liberty quarter. And yeah, that's probably my favorite dime, too..........
Yes, the Fasces was the symbol adopted by Benito "Il Duce" Mussolini and the Fascists in Italy prior to the Second World War.
The bundle of sticks and bound together with the ax was carried by the lictor, the bodyguard of the governing authority, and represented that an offending subject could be beaten with the sticks, and then executed with the ax.
If you look at old photographs of Italian military aircraft, you'll see the fasces symbol, tripled, used as their roundel.
It is the root source of the word, from the Romans and a symbol of Roman power. The idea was each individual stick was easily broken, but bound together, the strongest man could not. In other words, we are stronger together. Kind of like the founders of our country who said that they had to all hang together against King George or they would certainly hang separately. I find it very interesting that it was decided at some point before Mussolini and Hitler that it was a positive symbol appropriate for the coin of a republic.
Equally interesting is the popular misinformation about the so-called "Nazi Salute" and the Swastika symbol.
The "Nazi Salute" is actually the "Roman Salute", and prior to the Second World War, it was used in the United States of America when saluting the flag and/or pledging allegiance.
The swastika was used in India and throughout America by American Indians, and copied by the Boy Scouts of America.
It used to be featured on Arizona highway signs, and it was the insignia for the Oklahoma National Guard (since changed to a Thunderbird).
It is still used by the Finnish Air Force, I think, in their academy.
Not that we suffer from inflation, I remember being told that His Holiness Obama had stopped that from happening, but--
There are 20 Mercury dimes there. Face value is of course $2.00. Actual value just in silver content today: $25.04.
Probably they would be worth even more to a collector!
Another fun fact: back in 1900 a man could buy a 3-piece suit, hand-tailored with vest & 2 pairs of pants, for one $20 gold piece, a "double eagle."
Today, a hand-tailored suit like that described above would cost around $1,300 in cash, or- one $20 double eagle!
I don't think gold & silver have become more valuable, it's just that our cash money has been reduced to being worth much less. When the Fed can print up unlimited money with nothing behind it, that's not a surprise.
My bad: Liberty Head Dime is discussed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_dime includes details of why it's a Liberty Head dime and not a Mercury Head Dime.
Fasces. It's a bundle of rods and a battle ax. It symbolizes unity and strength. If I didn't collect coins then I probably wouldn't have known this. I really am getting old. I remember when you would occasionally get one of those in change. Sometimes you might also get a Buffalo nickel, an Indian Head penny or a Standing Liberty quarter. And yeah, that's probably my favorite dime, too..........
ReplyDeleteFasces...isn't this word related to the word Fascism?
ReplyDeleteJust wondering...
@ BARBAR CAT:
DeleteYes, the Fasces was the symbol adopted by Benito "Il Duce" Mussolini and the Fascists in Italy prior to the Second World War.
The bundle of sticks and bound together with the ax was carried by the lictor, the bodyguard of the governing authority, and represented that an offending subject could be beaten with the sticks, and then executed with the ax.
If you look at old photographs of Italian military aircraft, you'll see the fasces symbol, tripled, used as their roundel.
It is the root source of the word, from the Romans and a symbol of Roman power. The idea was each individual stick was easily broken, but bound together, the strongest man could not. In other words, we are stronger together. Kind of like the founders of our country who said that they had to all hang together against King George or they would certainly hang separately. I find it very interesting that it was decided at some point before Mussolini and Hitler that it was a positive symbol appropriate for the coin of a republic.
Delete@ C W SWANSON:
DeleteEqually interesting is the popular misinformation about the so-called "Nazi Salute" and the Swastika symbol.
The "Nazi Salute" is actually the "Roman Salute", and prior to the Second World War, it was used in the United States of America when saluting the flag and/or pledging allegiance.
The swastika was used in India and throughout America by American Indians, and copied by the Boy Scouts of America.
It used to be featured on Arizona highway signs, and it was the insignia for the Oklahoma National Guard (since changed to a Thunderbird).
It is still used by the Finnish Air Force, I think, in their academy.
Yes,'suwaskika' is a Sanskrit word.
Deletecorrection suwastika
DeleteNot that we suffer from inflation, I remember being told that His Holiness Obama had stopped that from happening, but--
ReplyDeleteThere are 20 Mercury dimes there. Face value is of course $2.00. Actual value just in silver content today: $25.04.
Probably they would be worth even more to a collector!
Another fun fact: back in 1900 a man could buy a 3-piece suit, hand-tailored with vest & 2 pairs of pants, for one $20 gold piece, a "double eagle."
Today, a hand-tailored suit like that described above would cost around $1,300 in cash, or- one $20 double eagle!
I don't think gold & silver have become more valuable, it's just that our cash money has been reduced to being worth much less. When the Fed can print up unlimited money with nothing behind it, that's not a surprise.
Right, specie gives no return, but does protect the buying power of money. Inflation is theft.
DeleteI believe that bundle of rods is technically called a "faggot." Don't you wonder how in the heck it got applied to another subject entirely?
ReplyDeleteIn England, a faggot is a cigarette.
DeleteHistorically, it means a stick for burning.
IIRC was the symbol of the Roman Republic. the rods of wood being the people supporting the was axe of the country. Course I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteC90
You are very correct.
DeleteMy bad: Liberty Head Dime is discussed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_dime includes details of why it's a Liberty Head dime and not a Mercury Head Dime.
ReplyDeleteC-90
Wow, I never knew that! Thanks for the link!
Delete