Strange heavy metal bar with writing.

[BobinSouthVA]

well the first thing that comes to mind is a printing plate, with the words backwards, however I have never found one this thick. Almost one inch.

not even sure what the metal is. Copper? rang up kind of like copper on the detector

it's not magnetic.

It's very heavy (sorry no scale)

I believe the letters are

R FINE
19 and then maybe 9 and a period.

found a 1811 large cent close by, however that may not mean anything as the area was used until 2000

Thanks for any ideas, I'm stumped

[clovis97]

It very well could be a broken printer's block.

I am seeing the letters:

rfne

I don't see an "i" in those letters.

Any chance you could clean the item well, and post new photos? Maybe use chalk to highlight the letters?

I also think this could be brass.

[Breezie]

I agree with Clovis in that it looks like a printing block. Maybe you could clean it, and then ink it and do a printing. I've used acrylic can paint before to do inkings, and then washed it off immediately. Neat find, Breezie

[DCMatt]

Here is a pic of a bronze printing plate from 1890 - 1920. Very thick...



I also see rfne on yours.

DCMatt

[BuckleBoy]

The problem I have with the printing plate idea is that the piece has no definition in the letters. Anything printed with it would just be a blob on a page. I have never seen a printing plate that was used/worn that much before it was tossed out.

My hunch is that this piece was broken off of a piece of machinery or similar, and the letters were either very worn or poorly cast to begin with.

Best wishes,


Buckles

[mikusek]

This is an inverted and mirrored view of your object.

[Kieth-Tx]

Have found small printing blocks of that looks like that exact size. A buddy just found a small one with a connestoga wagon and horses. They do come that small.