Top ‘o the mornin’ to ye Carnival goers and welcome to the topic of the week from the Young Adult Indie Carnival. With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, this week’s topic is LUCK.
“Hey, that looks like the good luck charm that your Mom gave me before the showdown with Bov.” He examined it, “But this one’s a little different.”
“It’s called an Atlantis token.”
“Oh, so it’s magically lucky?”
In Of Sun & Moon, Colby’s first impression of an Atlantis token was that it was a lucky charm. We know it to be otherwise, but I have to admit that I do have a certain fondness for stories attached to lucky coins. One of my faves is about the lucky coin of Lieutenant George E. Dixon.
Lieutenant Dixon served the Confederacy in the Civil War as commander of the submarine, the H.L. Hunley. Upon leaving for duty, Dixon’s love, a woman by the name of Queenie Bennett, gave to him a $20 gold piece for good luck. (Yes, the U.S. actually minted $20 coins back then). He kept the coin with him at all times, often in a pants pocket. It was a good thing. During the Battle of Shiloh, Dixon was surprised by a Union soldier and shot in the leg. Lucky for him he had his lucky coin in his pocket and it deflected the bullet!
Is this a true story? Well, in 2001 the H.L. Hunley was recovered and near the Lieutenant’s remains was found a bent $20 gold coin. It was said that a portion of the obverse side was sanded off and in that place was engraving that read, “Shiloh, April 6th 1862, My life Preserver, G.E.D” [George E. Dixon].
Want more lucky stories? Check out these spry leprechauns…
I love that photo of the bent coin! And your excerpt has got me intrigued…