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Compass Rose - detail on coin


Bunya

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Now that a few of you have had a good look at your gold Compass Rose coins, can someone help me with questions about the coin?

 

This is a beautiful coin . . . but the detail on the compass rose side has me puzzled.

 

(I have read a bit of the huge amount of material on the long history of the compass rose which is available on-line. This has given a hint to the answers to some of my questions, but I thought I’d let others have their say first.)

 

Why are the compass points labelled 1 to 32 – I thought 0 to 31 was more usual.

And why is 25 at the top (North as indicated by the Fleur de Lys)?

 

What are the various little symbols which may just be abstract but look like leaves, birds, etc.?

I’m especially puzzled by the ones on the large orange pointers – one is a bit dog-like, but the one on the pointer to 9 has me ? :huh::( ?

 

I guess I could just address these questions to the supplier/designer, but I thought the forum might like to speculate! :D

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Several people have reportedly "solved" the mysteries of this coin. There is evidence suggesting that once they realized what the designs on the coin represented, they were instantly teleported through a gateway into another dimension and they haven't been heard from since.

 

You think I'm joking, but take a look around the forums and try to spot a few folks that haven't posted in quite some time.

 

Coincidence?

 

I think not.

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Several people have reportedly "solved" the mysteries of this coin. There is evidence suggesting that once they realized what the designs on the coin represented, they were instantly teleported through a gateway into another dimension and they haven't been heard from since.

 

You think I'm joking, but take a look around the forums and try to spot a few folks that haven't posted in quite some time.

 

Coincidence?

 

I think not.

 

Huh....I could think of some folks that....oh, nevermind.

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Several people have reportedly "solved" the mysteries of this coin. There is evidence suggesting that once they realized what the designs on the coin represented, they were instantly teleported through a gateway into another dimension and they haven't been heard from since.

 

Don’t be silly.

 

That would mean if that I keep looking at the coin and thinking what I’m thinking . . .

 

What’s that black circle that’s just appeared in front of me?

 

No! No! I’m not going with youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

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Several people have reportedly "solved" the mysteries of this coin. There is evidence suggesting that once they realized what the designs on the coin represented, they were instantly teleported through a gateway into another dimension and they haven't been heard from since.

 

Don’t be silly.

That would mean if that I keep looking at the coin and thinking what I’m thinking . . .

What’s that black circle that’s just appeared in front of me?

No! No! I’m not going with youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

Back again (three days have passed where I was).

Quite a nice bunch of BEMs really.

 

Wasn’t too happy about the probings, but… :(

 

I started an argument about whether setting loose a photocopy of a gold Compass Rose geocoin should be punished by having all your Finds turned into DNFs.

That got them so distracted that I snuck back through a handy wormhole.

 

So what’s been going on here while I was away? :huh:

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What are the various little symbols which may just be abstract but look like leaves, birds, etc.?

I’m especially puzzled by the ones on the large orange pointers – one is a bit dog-like, but the one on the pointer to 9 has me ? :D:huh: ?

 

I guess I could just address these questions to the supplier/designer, but I thought the forum might like to speculate! :(

 

Based on the Origins of the Compass Rose, it talks about the "Chinese dividing the compass into 12 major directions based on the signs of the zodiac". I wonder if any of these symbols represent any of these zodiac signs?

 

Of course here is Wikipedia description of the Compass Rose.

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Why are the compass points labelled 1 to 32 – I thought 0 to 31 was more usual.

And why is 25 at the top (North as indicated by the Fleur de Lys)?

 

I'll speculate: Coin design error?

 

According to this chart 1 - 32 is correct

 

Boxing The Compass

 

Compass points

# Compass point Abbr. Traditional Wind Point True Heading

1. North N Tramontana 0.00°

2. North by east NbE 11.25°

3. North-northeast NNE 22.50°

4. Northeast by north NEbN 33.75°

5. Northeast NE Greco Bora 45.00°

6. Northeast by east NEbE 56.25°

7. East-northeast ENE 67.50°

8. East by north EbN 78.75°

9. East E Levante 90.00°

10. East by south EbS 101.25°

11. East-southeast ESE 112.50°

12. Southeast by east SEbE 123.75°

13. Southeast SE Sirocco 135.00°

14. Southeast by south SEbS 146.25°

15. South-southeast SSE 157.50°

16. South by east SbE 168.75°

17. South S Ostro 180.00°

18. South by west SbW 191.25°

19. South-southwest SSW 202.50°

20. Southwest by south SWbS 213.75°

21. Southwest SW Libeccio 225.00°

22. Southwest by west SWbW 236.25°

23. West-southwest WSW 247.50°

24. West by south WbS 258.75°

25. West W Ponente 270.00°

26. West by north WbN 281.25°

27. West-northwest WNW 292.50°

28. Northwest by west NWbW 303.75°

29. Northwest NW Maestro 315.00°

30. Northwest by north NWbN 326.25°

31. North-northwest NNW 337.50°

32. North by west NbW 348.75°

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Why are the compass points labelled 1 to 32 – I thought 0 to 31 was more usual.

And why is 25 at the top (North as indicated by the Fleur de Lys)?

 

I'll speculate: Coin design error?

 

Negative on the coin design error. It is an error of the photographer by not rotating the image back to the correct position. The large decorative pointer of all old compass roses always pointed to the north. East was always the primary direction as indicated by the number 1.

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The large decorative pointer of all old compass roses always pointed to the north. East was always the primary direction as indicated by the number 1.

 

Your first ‘always’ is OK so long as you stick to western Europe – the compasses of other cultures used any of the four quarters as ‘top’. However our term “compass rose” does seem to assume this use of north.

 

As far as the numbering goes, this link numbers the points 0 to 31 with 0 as north. I assumed this was common as it was in the top ‘hit’ when I googled “compass rose”

However I now agree east is used as the primary direction and numbered 1 in most other references. (This was considered primary in western Europe as it was the direction of Jerusalem.)

 

Unfortunately the upside down picture mentioned above is not clear enough to answer my other questions, although it seems closest to the geocoin.

I now think what I called ‘dog-like’ is a lion but the image on the pointer to 9 is still infuriatingly indistinct. :rolleyes:

 

Can anyone help? :)

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I am going to go with the art at the 9 position being a representation of a sea serpent

 

.

 

And, for those of you who enjoy eye-strain (and who doesn't !), there is art under the blue at points 5, 13, 21 and 29 . . . hard to see, but it is there

 

.

 

I say that -

 

point 5 is just like point 17 (representing waves, perhaps)

 

point 13 is maybe a five-toed foot or five-petaled flower

 

point 21 may represent an island (or mountain) and clouds

 

point 29 just might be a squid

 

.

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