BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Best of both worlds

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I was interested to read that Katrin Raynor-Evans has combined her two hobbies of astronomy and philately (‘Field of View’, July). I have done something similar with numismatic­s, coin collecting. It started when I picked up a silver coin celebratin­g the life of Copernicus and from there I focused on a theme of coins with a celestial connection. Most astronomic­al events seem to have been celebrated with a coin or medallion of some sort. Eclipses and comets seem to be the most popular, the 1986 flypast of Halley’s Comet being the most prolific. I also have one that depicts Columbus predicting a lunar eclipse to the indigenous people of Jamaica. Australia produced a series of domed coins depicting some of the Southern constellat­ions (right). When the skies are cloudy I can open my coin trays and do some indoor astronomy. Brian Beresford, via email

 ??  ?? ▲ Celestial treasures: Brian combines his hobby of astronomy with coin collecting
▲ Celestial treasures: Brian combines his hobby of astronomy with coin collecting
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