US old oversized penny - Help---Is this a real coin , trade coin, or joke?

[JudySunshine]

I found this large oversized old u.s. penny which says United State of America one cent, on one side, but the other side doesn't look like a coin at all. It has a keystone shape on it with some letters(WSSTKSHT)and EHX 49 and d.c. on it. If it ever was a coin, they must have removed the one side before marking it with the other letters/symbols. I have never seen one like it. Does anyone have any ideas about what this? it is larger than a quarter. thanks for any help.

 

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[Coin Town]

I found this large oversized old u.s. penny which says United State of America one cent, on one side, but the other side doesn't look like a coin at all. It has a keystone shape on it with some letters(WSSTKSHT)and EHX 49 and d.c. on it. If it ever was a coin, they must have removed the one side before marking it with the other letters/symbols. I have never seen one like it. Does anyone have any ideas about what this? it is larger than a quarter. thanks for any help. <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=791043"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=791045"/>

Awesome find! Looks like a love token from 1949! People used to alter one side of coins and put their monogram or names and dates in them...very unique items to find or own because not only do they have historical significance because of the old coin they were also a very special part of someone else's life at one point!

Where did you find this??

 

[Generic_Lad]

What it looks like is a US large cent, before the flying eagle cent, US cents were large, a bit smaller than a half dollar. What has happened is someone had smoothed away one side to engrave it, I suppose it could be a love token (although I'm not sure if it would be 1949, 1849 is more reasonable! but I don't think its a date...)

Large cent (United States coin) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Coin Town]

Awesome find! Looks like a love token from 1949! People used to alter one side of coins and put their monogram or names and dates in them...very unique items to find or own because not only do they have historical significance because of the old coin they were also a very special part of someone else's life at one point!

Where did you find this??

Here is a good link for information on love tokens...makes you wonder the story behind this one!

http://lovetokensociety.com/history/love-tokens/

 

[Mackaydon]

The reverse stamp is a Masonic image as shown and described here: What does S.T.K.S.H.T.W.S. mean?
Don.......
PS: The other mark (within the stamped mark) is described here: Within this circle of letters every Mark Master Mason must place his own private mark, which may be any device he may choose to select; and when you have selected your mark, and it is once regularly recorded in the Book of Marks of this or any other Lodge of which you may be chosen a member, you have no more right to change it than you have to change your own name.

 

[darthoblio]

That is an awesome find! The kind of thing that makes this occupation so exciting! Congratulations!

 

[Gold007]

Awesome find!

 

[JudySunshine]

at a local estate sale for one dollar.

 

[Rawhide]

Why are such things sold? Doesn't the family know how important that stuff was?

 

[hannahgodfrey]

Wow!!! Where ever did you locate it? If I were you, I would be at a coin dealers shop scanning through the details about this coin. I spotted a vintage U.S. dime.