Another day in colonial heaven! Another coin and need ID from our UK friends!!

[HomeGuardDan]

Man it was beautiful out today, a bit hot, but targets were steady. I actually never normally would do this, but I was digging bullets non-stopped to the point that I moved to another spot as that was all that was producing there. This is likely my last time out before the baby comes, so I really wanted to check some more spots at this site, and I am glad I did.

While a few more roundballs did pop up, some buttons did, and so did the 1838 seated dime, and the other WHAT IS IT. This is the same general area that I dug the roman coin, this one also appears to be bronze and has a very intentional design. I initially thought I dug a cob, but then figured it was just a lead seal or token. When I got home, I tested it, rechecked it with the machine, and sure enough if it not lead or pewter. I am fairly certain that it is a bronze material. Any thoughts?

I really liked the early colonial cufflink with set stone, wish the other was still attached. it very well might be in the same hole, though there was so much iron, i could not locate it.

All in all, i dug about 40 various size musket balls, a few buttons, a nice complete buckle along with other pieces to shoe buckles. This site will keep me busy for many years and it does not seem to be slowing down.

HH

Dan

 

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[John Winter]

Most probably a cast lead token as Crusader says, but difficult to say without seeing. I presume it is uniface. The dating is difficult, but just to enlarge on what he says ... this is from the UKDFD:

Tokens of this type are discussed by Michael Mitchiner in Jetons, Medalets and Tokens, Vol 3, pp. 1812-1832. They were produced because the introduction of a regal copper coinage in 1672 had failed to satisfy the demand for small change. Proclamations between 1672 and 1674 forbidding the circulation of tokens only served to change their form. Thereafter, they became anonymous to avoid the risk of prosecution, and ’stock designs’, like that of the present example became common. They also tended to become larger, reflecting the sizes of the copper farthings and halfpennies, and frequently single-sided.

Evidently very little care was taken during production and imperfect tokens were perfectly acceptable as ’currency’. I have seen examples where the spru from casting hasn't been removed. You can see over 30 pages of tokens here: Message - UK Finds Database -

 

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[treblehunter]

Very cool stuff, always a mystery with our hobby. I always enjoy how confident some people are with there assumptions and opinions. I really like the ship ballast theory, there are houses in my area where they used the blue color ballast brick in the brick work to make designs, other colors to put dates in the gable ends of the house.. If you were in the water (which I think you were) it would reinforce this theory even more. Maybe your on a place where all this ballast was offloaded?

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Most probably a cast lead token as Crusader says, but difficult to say without seeing. I presume it is uniface. The dating is difficult, but just to enlarge on what he says ... this is from the UKDFD:



Evidently very little care was taken during production and imperfect tokens were perfectly acceptable as ’currency’. I have seen examples where the spru from casting hasn't been removed. You can see over 30 pages of tokens here: Message - UK Finds Database -

First - thank you Cru and John. As I mentioned it could have been a different mixture as it is not the typical lead that we find here. I was uncertain how the mixtures were used that early, but it appears that they had many back to that date. This thing is impossible to bend and not soft at all, which is unlike any pewter or lead that I have dug over here in the states.

Guess I owe at least half a detector to my friend...Dirty...do you want the arm cuff or the lower shaft! ha ha

Seriously, to all three, thanks for the ID. I was thinking token or some sort, but unlike any I have seen.

Dan

 

[CRUSADER]

First - thank you Cru and John. As I mentioned it could have been a different mixture as it is not the typical lead that we find here. I was uncertain how the mixtures were used that early, but it appears that they had many back to that date. This thing is impossible to bend and not soft at all, which is unlike any pewter or lead that I have dug over here in the states.

Guess I owe at least half a detector to my friend...Dirty...do you want the arm cuff or the lower shaft! ha ha

Seriously, to all three, thanks for the ID. I was thinking token or some sort, but unlike any I have seen.

Dan

Like I said, I'm just surprised a few more don't turn up, but I guess even lead mix tokens were seen as little worth over there.

 

[dirtlooter]

pretty cool, the finds, the ID's were pretty good, even with the variables which were a little confusing, it seems to have gotten leaded (ironed) out! LOL awesome!

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Like I said, I'm just surprised a few more don't turn up, but I guess even lead mix tokens were seen as little worth over there.

It is funny - when I dug it, I thought I knew exactly what it was (which is what it turned out to be) as I saw them in Hume's book, though more uniformed in shape. I can honestly say that neither Bill or I have ever recovered one from a colonial site here in the states until now. We were too busy spending every other countries currency, including beyond the birth of our nation ha ha.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Dan:

I should have complimented you on the great finds sooner, but at least I can give your thread some lasting power. Great Finds. When are they going to be harvesting fields down your way? You ready to go?

 

[timekiller]

Nice Batch of finds.I've found quite a few of these lead pieces over the years. Not ever knowing for sure what they are I keep them because all or most of mine are always clipped like the coins I find from the period.Good to know.Here's one with the same hatch marks as your piece.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Dan:

I should have complimented you on the great finds sooner, but at least I can give your thread some lasting power. Great Finds. When are they going to be harvesting fields down your way? You ready to go?

Thanks man - the fields are beginning to be cut now, though with the baby coming I will most likely be out of the game for a little while.

Nice Batch of finds.I've found quite a few of these lead pieces over the years. Not ever knowing for sure what they are I keep them because all or most of mine are always clipped like the coins I find from the period.Good to know.Here's one with the same hatch marks as your piece.
Take Care,
Pete,

That's man - that is awesome to see yours cut like that. Thanks for posting pete!