2011 Compass Rose Geocoin - Eclipse

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Eclipse Version - (black nickel, recessed front) - Only occurring during a new moon, solar eclipses have played a significant part in referencing historical and religious events. The Chinese scientist Shen Kuo, 1031-1095 AD, also used eclipses as his reasoning for why planets were spherical instead of flat; an understanding that became vital for accurate map making.

The 2011 Compass Rose Geocoin® is about the critical importance of the sun and navigation. Navigation by the sun was practically second nature a thousand years ago, even though it was not as accurate without special tools as today's methods. It was very important to know where the sun tracked across the sky and exactly where it would rise and set depending on the season. Since the 1700s, knowing the sun's declination was imperative to calculate longitude. Knowing how to gain longitude was very important to calculate accurate navigation and map making.

The compass rose sun design on the 2011 Compass Rose Geocoin was derived from a map made in 1613. The map covers half of the world on the Atlantic side. Normally, maps containing a great level of artistic detail were not accurate and made only for sale to the general public as display pieces. Ship's captains knew better than to use these kinds of maps; however, this map was not only artistic but also informative.

If you look closely at the different versions of the 2011 Compass Rose Geocoin, you will notice there are two different front side metal designs. One has a raised metal design and other has a recessed metal design. Not only did we make different versions with different colors and finishes, but we added another aspect of using two front dies which truly makes a variety of versions that are very different from each other.

The back of the geocoin illustrates the Copernican astronomical system. It shows the tilt of the earth at its equinoxes along with other planets. The outer ring outlines the zodiacs according to how the constellations are aligned with the sun during the year. Each planet in the coin is represented with a Swarovski gemstone.