(urth) The Two Coins...

[Ryan Dunn]

On Aug 13, 2010, at 3:42 PM, Roy C. Lackey wrote:

> The coins minted when Sev was autarch had his ugly, scarred face on them.
> Not at all like a woman's.
> 
> [snip]
>> Regardless of whose face it is on the coin, is it possible that this is
> two instances of the same chrisos? If so, could Severian have been watching
> himself in the play that night?<
> 
> Possible, but why should he? Idle curiosity? Idol curiosity? Why would he
> have dropped a coin? He couldn't have been surprised at anything that
> happened. And if he had dropped it on purpose, why leave a counterfeit coin?

Damn you, Lackey. You're absolutely right about the coin. And motivations do fall apart regarding Severian at the play on stage and in the crowd rather quickly under your scrutinizing gaze.

However, the possibility of it being the same coin still seems plausible. I base this on the staging of Severian at the end of Citadel turning both coins over in his hands. There's almost a wink to the camera, so-to-speak there, and there's also Severian stating he now walks the corridors of time, and he's not the first Severian.

...ryan