Coin collecting has been my hobby for a long time- Here is an article that created lots of discussion on Coin Masters of the World- also on World Internet Numismatics –Read on–>
Corn and TraditionBy Dewey MaggardThe pursuit of coin collecting yields more than just a piece of metal in your hand. What we learn from this endeavor is the difference between accumulating-coin collecting and Numismatics. For example, archeologists are learning to put together bits of historical evidence with coins that was otherwise unknown. Of course, because we love our country–we are patriotic and pursue those coinage-token, and paper items that enhance and bond us to those principles.Numismatics is not an idle pass time. The study and discipline of it sometimes reveals evidence contrary to everything we were previously taught. Numismatics, (The Science and Study of Coinage), reveals how our predecessors thought, what they believed and how they accomplished objectives. Commemorative coinages are nothing new~-These issues have been going on before the Romans. We all know coinage has been used to announce certain events current and past.Now, I am going to shock most of you with an announcement which is contrary to what you were taught since childhood. And, that has to do with the tale (myth) that the American Indian introduced Corn to the rest of the world. As a Numismatist, (Coin Collector), I am going to relate to you that there is Numismatic proof that this was or is not true.Since becoming acquainted with King Hammurabi code of Law, I have never believed that tale–because the Babylonians had more than just a generic term for corn. They had a word for Sesame, Lentils, Wheat and Corn. Their word for Corn is the same one the crows use…’ka..ka’. Their word for silver was ‘Kapsim’ etc., etc.
So shaken by this when I first learned of this, I approached Nicholaus Metropolous, a Greek Professor friend of mine who used to teach classical Greek at Athens in Greece, then here at our own University of California. I asked him if he could give me the word for ‘corn in Homer’s language. You see, I wanted to get that word as far back in Greek history as possible. If anyone could do this certainly Nick would be the person to do it. He laughed when I asked him–and said, “people wont believe you, but it is true.” Then he wrote the word out for me in his beautiful Greek penmanship. Yes, Homer had a word for ‘corn–and so that I should not forget it, he even drew me a picture of a beautiful ear of corn–the kind we eat off the cob.
In my circle of friends those who know Nicholaus, know he is a man of integrity, a man with a Ph.D in classical Greek–not everyday conversational Greek. So–this brings me to the heart of my story. Dear reader and fellow collectors, there is in existence a Greek Coin with three ears of corn on it. I do not own one…I am not sure whether the British Museum owns this one, but I do know the author of my old Greek catalog of coins has cataloged it and has pictured it in his work. This publication is out of print today, yet obtainable.from rare Numismatic book dealers… The author, Zander Klawins was well known in his time. This is not the only evidence. This author owns an Ancient Coin with a pair of beautiful ears of corn on it.- This coin is a Silver Denarius issued by Emperor Hadrian and has the likeness of his wife Faustina on the other side of this coin. There is also evidence of corn silos in Egypt during the time of the Biblical Joseph-Pharoah’s Prime Minister and saviour of Egypt during a 7 year famine. The Egyptians gave him a special name calling him Zsaph Naph paneah- which meant “Saviour” The man known as modern father of archeologiy, Sir Flinders Petrie found this word enscribed in the Pyramid of Cheops.Petrie himself in his time,did not understand the meaning of this word. The only inscription found to in that pyramid.The reason for this inscription remains a baffling mystery.
This idea of corn indiginous to this hemisphere was a logical assumption as the early discooverers of this continent had not seen corn in their particular area. That does not mean it did not grow in the Old world. Evidence points to it being brought here by the Great Sea People many centuries before the Christian era.
What we now know is that trade goods were being exchanged between traders from this hemisphere and the old world. For example, a recent telecast on Egyptian mummies, revealed through DNA testing, these royal folks had been using tobacco and cocaine. According to modern information, those items were not known to be grown in the old world.- The only explanation is that these goods were being brought in by the world traders of that time. .
Putting all this together, it must readily be seen there was commerce going on between this western hemisphere and the rest of the world long before our written histories..
