Masonic symbolism in the British £2 coin

I actually looked this up after sitting on the toilet looking at a £2 coin. I just couldn't get over the similarities.

The two pound coin taken from wiki...



with the quote...

2005: 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Reverse: Saint Paul's Cathedral crossed with searchlights, 1945 - 2005 below, TWO POUNDS above.
Edge inscription: IN VICTORY MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE GOODWILL

And the masonic square and compass...



So I did some more digging, and it turns out that the image on the coin is St. Paul's Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren who, apart from being an all-round clever fellow with a resume including the sciences and architecture, seems to be famed for his masonic links...

Sir Christopher Wren and Freemasonry

Now, it's really of no significance whether Sir Christopher Wren was a freemason or not. What really interests me, as a non-practising low-level freemason, is what is going through the mind of the coin designer, or group of, when the decision was made to put such blatant masonic symbolism on a national coin?

Was the suggested square and compass put there to act as a subliminal message? Was it put there by a group of people with masonic links? Or perhaps was it a 'great idea' from a low-level freemason who thinks they know about all about the symbolism of their lodge and its purpose, but really are kept in the dark?

Originally posted by boyg2004
Or perhaps was it a 'great idea' from a low-level freemason who thinks they know about all about the symbolism of their lodge and its purpose, but really are kept in the dark?

I wish to hell I could go back in time and convince my early Masonic brethren NOT to number the %$$#@# Masonic degrees in the Lodge and the Scottish Rite (the ONLY ones by the way which ARE numbered...there are TONS of 'em that aren't).

Then perhaps the first yay-hoo who conjured up the idea of "low-level" and "high-level" Masons wouldn't have done it. Then the uninformed wouldn't have imitated his mistake.

[sigh]

I'm so SICK of being thought ignorant by those who've never even walked in the door of a Masonic Lodge.

I've been seriously considering having my 33rd Degree Ring altered to say 428th Degree.

But then again if I did, these same yah-hoo's would claim that there's a 429th Degree that I'm too #$@% stupid to know about.

Let the silliness continue

Originally posted by boyg2004
And the masonic square and compass...

Hmmm... I think it's an 'either/or' as far as the S&C and searchlights go. One can either say that there are searchlights, or say that there is a partial S&C overlaid on the image of the Cathedral, but I don't see both.

Of course this could be a double-clever ploy on the part of the designers to make the searchlights look like the central portion of a S&C, thus sneaking masonic symbolism in through the back door.

Just like the streets of DC etc etc.

Those masons are everywhere!!!

I wish to hell I could go back in time and convince my early Masonic brethren NOT to number the %$$#@# Masonic degrees in the Lodge and the Scottish Rite (the ONLY ones by the way which ARE numbered...there are TONS of 'em that aren't).

Scottish Rite Freemasons regularly use numbers for the 'blue' degrees and the first of the Royal Arch Degree, whose name can be found across the internet. A 'Blue' Lodge mason, who has never taken office in his lodge, could be considered to be inexperienced in the symbolisms and practices taking place regularly before him.

Then perhaps the first yay-hoo who conjured up the idea of "low-level" and "high-level" Masons wouldn't have done it.

It's a turn of phrase. Nothing more. The same as a Checkout Operator would be considered a 'low-level' employee compared to an Area Manager.

I've been seriously considering having my 33rd Degree Ring altered to say 428th Degree.

You are not a 33rd Degree Freemason, and with intended language like this in a public forum...

number the %$$#@# Masonic degrees

You are not a mason either

Originally posted by boyg2004
You are not a 33rd Degree Freemason, and with intended language like this in a public forum...
You are not a mason either

Oh because I said "hell" and $%@#$%#^?

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

That's a good one boyg2004. I guess you "got" me huh?

Oh, FYI I've been a Mason for over 25 years. I've taken almost every Masonic degree there is, INCLUDING the 33rd of the AASR (Charleston S.C. 2001 at the 200th Anniversary of the Scottish Rite, S.J., U.S.A.)

In fact of the Masonic Degrees I can think of the only ones I haven't joined or been invited to are the Red Cross of Constantine, the C.B.C.S. and the Knights of the York Cross of Honor (I don't qualify for the last one as I've never presided over my Commandery of Knights Templar)

When I get that 429th Degree, though, I'll be a super-duper-high-level Mason, huh?



[edit on 12-1-2007 by Appak]

HO HO ! THIS thread sure took off on a diversionary tangent very swiftly ---------- didn't it ?

I don't think Boyg2004 meant any harm in his post. The image if you look at it does look like it could be a S&C and he did go so far to research it more than others on this board do.

Saying a non practicng low level Mason I think meant that he hasn't gone any further that the 3° or goes to any meetings.

As far as Appak goes he is indeed a 33° Mason. Just read some of his posts and you can clearly see that he is most knowledgable.

Originally posted by boyg2004


Scottish Rite Freemasons regularly use numbers for the 'blue' degrees and the first of the Royal Arch Degree, whose name can be found across the internet. A 'Blue' Lodge mason, who has never taken office in his lodge, could be considered to be inexperienced in the symbolisms and practices taking place regularly before him.

Not necessarily. A Mason who has taken the time to study the subject would not be inexperienced in it. it would have nothing to do with whether or not he'd ever been an officer.

You are not a 33rd Degree Freemason, and with intended language like this in a public forum...
You are not a mason either

Appak received the 33rd degree at the Supreme Council's Bicentennial Sessions in Charleston, SC in 2001. I was also present.

Originally posted by Appak

Originally posted by boyg2004
Or perhaps was it a 'great idea' from a low-level freemason who thinks they know about all about the symbolism of their lodge and its purpose, but really are kept in the dark?

I've been seriously considering having my 33rd Degree Ring altered to say 428th Degree.

But then again if I did, these same yah-hoo's would claim that there's a 429th Degree that I'm too #$@% stupid to know about.

Let the silliness continue

LOL! Good one, and I was thinking the same thing; I'm surprised no one has made a claim about Masonic degrees to the n-th degree.

On a similar vein, anyone know of a KC "degree" higher than 4th? I've heard of one and saw a website a few years ago, but don't think it's taken off.

ok. you're a mason. a 33rd degree one at that.

Back to the point, RWM, does the (possible) symbolism point to something deeper than a group of masons desires to put a square and compass on a national coin?

Here's the facts...

A £2 coin appears bearing similarities to the masonic square and compasses.

Within this, there is a picture of St' Paul's Cathedral.

The designer of the Cathedral was a prominent freemason.

The internal flooring is black and white chequered, as is a lodge floor.

This fellow seems to have noticed something also...

Now, this idea is also found in much ecclesiastical architecture, especially buildings with Freemasonic associations. This weekend I visited the pompous wedding cake which is St Paul's Cathedral, replete with its chequer board floor and 'New Jerusalem' dome. As with many church buildings, the ida and pingala is there represented by the columns either side of the 'Holy of Holies', the high altar. These are commonly regarded as versions of the 'Boaz' and 'Jachin', the names given to the pillars in the Temple of Solomon, as recorded in 1 Kings 7:21.

Perhaps that's the end of it. Nothing more than masonic design in ancient architecture. But why resurrect it through modern coins? Is it pointing to something else?

I bumped into this through my investigations...

You’ll hear of Nicholas Hawksmoor’s terrifying penatgram of churches and the Masonic architectural stamps on so many of the capital’s principal sites of worship (including St Paul’s Cathedral where a stone from Solomon’s Temple rests and on which Hawksmoor may have also provided architectual assistance to the allegedly high-ranking freemason Sir Christopher Wren).

From the website... Chewing Pixels

So the plot thickens. There is a stone from King Solomons temple in St. Paul's Cathedral??

I did a bit more digging and found a snippet from
this website to back that claim up.

The South Choir Aisle contains fragments from the Holy Land which are fixed to the wall. They consist of a carved stone from Solomon's Temple, a carved piece of marble from Herod's Temple, and a section of the Roman pavement from Jerusalem.

So, seeing as it's a conspiracy website, I'll throw in my opinion that there is more to St. Paul's Cathedral than meets the eye. Was the alleged square and compass on the British £2 coin innocent, or is it in an indication of the Cathedral holding further secrets?

Corsig, you're partially correct.

Saying a non practicng low level Mason I think meant that he hasn't gone any further that the 3° or goes to any meetings.

Where I come from, we do the MMM degree without entering the Arch. I believe (and I may be wrong) that this is peculiar to only my country. This is considered the 4th. I don't go to meetings any more, as I work shifts and it's really difficult. I'll probably go back in a few years, though.

Originally posted by boyg2004
Where I come from, we do the MMM degree without entering the Arch. I believe (and I may be wrong) that this is peculiar to only my country.

Och aye the noo, laddie. I believe you are quite correct.

BoyG when you are ready I'm sure your lodge brothers would be happy to see you but as you know family and work come first.

Och aye the noo, laddie. I believe you are quite correct.

Ha Ha

Got it in one.

Originally posted by boyg2004
So, seeing as it's a conspiracy website, I'll throw in my opinion that there is more to St. Paul's Cathedral than meets the eye. Was the alleged square and compass on the British £2 coin innocent, or is it in an indication of the Cathedral holding further secrets?

NOW, we're getting somewhere. Question is...where?

I agree that one can sort of imagine a square and compasses in the design and if it was designed by a Mason that wouldn't be too unusual. After all we LOVE symbolism As for the Cathedral holding futher secrets...that would be interesting to find out.

I don't know much about the Cathedral itself. Does it (or it's present site) have any direct connections to the Templars?

templars, eh? Here you go...

St. Paul's Cathedral sits on a 'Ley Line' (i think it's some kind of alleged 'earth energy line') parallel to... the Temple Church. This is the temple church described in The Da Vinci Code!!!

Ley Line

And guess who did some restoration work on the Temple Church?

You got it....

Temple Church

Our old friend Christopher Wren.


Who is mentioned in Rosicrucian circles.

1,697 AD First Service in Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral

(Go down to year 1697 on this page.)

There's something in there. I just need more prompting.

That's truly interesting. Thanks for the links. I'll have to do some reading on the subject.

As an aside it looks like the SRIA has quite an informative site. I haven't seen that one, but I do belong to the U.S. version, the MSRICF (or Masonic Rosicrucians as we commonly call it)

Thanks again.

Originally posted by Appak
That's truly interesting. Thanks for the links. I'll have to do some reading on the subject.

As an aside it looks like the SRIA has quite an informative site. I haven't seen that one, but I do belong to the U.S. version, the MSRICF (or Masonic Rosicrucians as we commonly call it)

Thanks again.

You must mean you are going to check your book of contra arguments as you guys do on any subject.

I'm not surprised to see masonic symbols appearing everywhere, although this one is not clear. It could mean anything... if your not familiar with their practices.

By the way masonic symbolism is all over history till thousands of years ago. Every major city has it's masonic symbols hidden in streets or architecture. They have a masonic calendar that dates back 6000 years. They have been manipulating the mind of the populace to create slaves for the elite as long as their calendar counts. The elite can only live like kings when the sheeple work for THEM. Masonry is about being good shepherds to mislead us so called sheeple. As long as we keep buying into their media or ATS brainwashing we will be the sheeple fighting wars for there sakes.

Start thinking for yourselves. Don't let them mess with your mind. Especially on ATS
There is a lot of truth on ATS, but it's always debunked by the so called all (seeing) knowing masons.

Do you think that they are really here to give you an actual view on their fraternity or to mislead you?


[edit on 12-1-2007 by buddhaLight]

I can see how some would think that the picture looks like a masonic symbol.

Originally posted by boyg2004


Where I come from, we do the MMM degree without entering the Arch. I believe (and I may be wrong) that this is peculiar to only my country. This is considered the 4th.

The same is sort of true here in the USA, although with big differences. You guys have sovereign Lodges of Mark Master Masons, as well as a Grand Mark Lodge.

Here, the Mark degree is before the Royal Arch, but Lodges of Mark Master Masons are under the jurisdiction of Chapters of Royal Arch Masons. Nevertheless, it is still considered the 4th degree in the York Rite system by us, as only Master Masons in good standing may receive the degree.