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Is there or can be there any connection between the distant world of sky and the close material benefits of Earth?

The connection is closer than one might think for the first sight. Both astronomy and use of money has its own several thousand years of history. Astronomy - the most ancient science - was extremely necessary for farmers of the ancient world. The change of seasons, the time of sowing, the forecast of the start of floods made the observations and logging of events and deriving conclusions from them crucial.

The importance of money is well known for everyone, its significance need not be emphasized. The every day usage of money is extended by its propaganda value. This was the situation in the ancient world also. The money could reach all the people even the illiterate ones. Images they hold could be understood by everyone, and politics recognized it soon. This was how winning battles, anniversaries, astronomical events of great attention, such as eclipses and comets appeared on coins. This has been the start of connection between coins and astronomy.

The ancient and medieval coins and their astronomical symbolism was published by Marshall Faintich in his well written book(1). This homepage shows some examples of what can be found in that book, but goes forward and illustrates through modern coins and medals how colorful and diverse is this connection that stands now for more than 2500 years.

So I suggest for every reader - leading by either research or simple delectation - to survey this catalogue to discover connection points of earth and distant skies!