Pierced Coin from Jacob Jackson Homesite

This coin is a silver taler, minted in Dresden, Germany, in 1691. It was minted upon the death of Saxony-Electorate Johann Georg III,who was Elector of Saxony - and Marshall of the Holy Roman Empire -from 1680 until his death in 1691. The script on the obverse translates to: "Jehovah is my banner." The script on the reverse translates to: "A glorious hero in the defense of the empire against Turks and Frenchmen, born on 20 June 1647, died at the beginning of the 12th year of his exceedingly happy cults inTübingen on 12 September 1691." Silver coins were often pierced and worn to protect against evil spirits, to keep sickness at bay, and to ensure good fortune. Historical and archeological evidence indicate that this practice was common among European colonists as well as enslaved Africans in the 18th and 19th centuries.