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This is a fantastic coin for the collector who celebrates ancient artifacts of the Aztec and Mayan cultures. Back in the days of old, the people of these two empires devised a system for recognizing natural time events as a cycle that can be described as a "date". This coin is a replica image of the Aztec Sun stone. The first "discovered" example was a circular calendar stone measuring about 12 feet (3.7 metres) in diameter and weighing some 25 tons was uncovered in Mexico City in 1790 and is currently on display in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. The face of the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, appears at the center of the stone, surrounded by four square panels honoring previous incarnations of the deity that represent the four previous ages of the world. Circumscribing these are signs that represent the 20 days of the Aztec month.
The Aztec calendar, dating system based on the Mayan calendar and used in the Valley of Mexico before the destruction of the Aztec empire. Like the Mayan calendar, the Aztec calendar consisted of a ritual cycle of 260 days and a 365-day civil cycle. The ritual cycle, or tonalpohualli, contained two smaller cycles, an ordered sequence of 20 named days and a sequence of days numbered from 1 to 13. The 13-day cycle was particularly important for religious observance, and each of the 20 numbered cycles within the ritual year was associated with a different deity. Similarly, each named day was associated with a unique deity, and scholars believe that the combinations of ruling deities were used for divination. The civil year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each, plus an additional 5 days called nemontemi and considered to be very unlucky. Again as in the Mayan calendar, the Aztec ritual and civil cycles returned to the same positions relative to each other every 52 years, an event celebrated as the Binding Up of the Years, or the New Fire Ceremony. In preparation, all sacred and domestic fires were allowed to burn out. At the climax of the ceremony, priests ignited a new sacred fire on the breast of a sacrificial victim, from which the people rekindled their hearth fires and began feasting.
Coin is 1.57" Diameter and 3/32" Thickness (About Two Quarters Thick) and Weighs .9 Ounces (27 Grams). On The rear is an American eagle clutching an olive branch and three arrows. The front side features the classical Aztec calendar.
REPLICA ART - This coin is replica and artistic interpretation of the art form known as the Hobo Nickel. In the late 1800's and Early 1900's, hobos would alter the design of Buffalo Nickels to pass the time. This is a piece of Americana History.
UNIQUE TO YOU - Each coin is stamped by machine and then hand finished to age and wear the coin to it's lovely patina. Because of the hand finishing process, each coin is slightly different which makes it unique and special to you.
READY TO DISPLAY - Each coin is shipped in a protective plastic bag and comes with an acrylic display stand that can show off your coin on a shelf or other flat and level surface. The display stand is made of clear acrylic and sits about 1.65" tall.
