Four of Coins - Tyldwick

[Bodhiseed]

Four of Coins

 

Some people use locks and safes to guard their possessions, and others use magic. In this card, there is a circle made of planetary and alchemical signs. Above it is a stone head of Jupiter and within it is a square filled with numbers. The circle represents the wheel of change - the impermanence of physical life. The Roman god Jupiter (king of gods, sky and thunder) watches over to protect and preserve what is good (I'm sure he's hiding a thunderbolt somewhere). The 4 x 4 square is Jupiter's "magic square" (kamea in Hebrew); these squares were an arrangement of numbers (usually integers) in a square grid, where the numbers in each row, and in each column, and the numbers in the forward and backward main diagonals, all add up to the same number. Dating back to Chinese literature in 650 BCE, philosophers thought these squares were magical and used them as talismans (both to attract good luck and ward off bad luck). Around the 15th century, manuscripts began to pop up in Europe that described how these squares (assigned to the seven classical planets) could be used to attract the influence of a planet and its assigned angel (or demon). Jupiter's magic square was used for success, abundance, money, and growth. While some RWS interpretations see the Four of Coins as a card for misers, I personally don't see anything wrong with being a good steward of what you have, including using good judgment when it comes to our "stuff." But sometimes we forget that it's not just our material possessions and finances we need to take care of, but our bodies too.

 

[Vincent2024]

Hello! I am a tarot enthusiast from China. I've read many interpretations of Tyldwick by you, and really appreciate !

However, I have some different opinions on Four of Coins of Tyldwick. I don't think that the matrix in the card is a Jupiter's magic square or kamea.

The numbers in this matrix are: 8, 9, 6, 4, blank, 9, blank, 2, 8, 9, 5, 9, 9, 3, 13, 0. It is clear that the numbers in each row, column, and in the forward and backward main diagonals, add up to different numbers.

The colors of the matrix squares correspond to the colors of the circle. The numbers in the matrix correspond to the planetary and alchemical signs in the circle as follows: 8-Jupiter, 9-Cancer, 6-Capricorn, 4-Virgo, blank-Libra, 9-Progress, blank-Aquarius, 2-Air, 8-Water, 9-Gemini, 5-Fire, 9-Sagittarius, 9-Mars, 3-Capricorn, 13-Moon, 0-blank.

But what does this correspondence mean? Is it some kind of encryption? Why does the number 9 appear five times in the matrix? Does it represent a frequently occurring letter in a natural language? Why are there two blanks in the matrix?

I can’t figure them out.

The author mentioned in an interview that he took inspiration from kaleidoscopes, geometry, architectural patterns, codes, and the languages of flowers and color.

What does “codes” mean? In the whole Tyldwick, it seems that only the Four of Coins is related to “codes”.

I think you are the best interpreter of Tyldwick！I wonder if you have any new insights about Four of Coins of Tyldwick?