Aureus
Silver Member
Since my last post a week ago, I have managed to get out 3 more times. Most of the fields were seeded and the few that were not had farming equipment placed on them, ready to close my detecting season at any moment. I had to make every minute count and I'm very happy that I did as I have recovered some truly exceptional relics and coins.
One of my favorite finds was an absolutely humongous Lesslie & Sons 2 Pence token 1822 in a stunning condition for a 200 years old copper.
I'm not exaggerating, this thing is huge! Weighing 30 grams and measuring 40 mm in diameter, it's the largest coin to ever be minted for the circulation in Canada. A pretty rare and valuable coin in this condition.
I personally never heard of it and really wasn't expecting to recover such an amazing coin on perhaps my last week-end hunt in the fields this season..Until I discovered my next find which in my eyes is even more stunning and certainly more historically significant.
Montreal British Militia button (1790's-1810's) At 30 mm. it's the largest military button I have ever found.
The cool thing about it (on top of it being of an early Militia unit and having such a great conservation state for a dug example) is the fact that it was used as a currency in early 1800's. You can notice in the picture of its back that the shank has been cut off and the space flattened in order for the button to be used as a coin,closely matching the size of the British Halfpenny.
"Among soldiers constantly trying to stretch their pay, buttons were a favourite substitute for coins. Typically, the shank was removed from the back and the button was flattened before being placed into circulation".
Being at the same time one of the earliest Canadian tokens and an early military button the examples of it are part of both : The National Currency Collection of the Bank of Canada and The Canadian War Museum collection. It's featured in Charlton Coin Guide and is an other pretty rare and valuable coin/button from the same week-end
Found a few other military buttons.
My first War of 1812 US Light Artillery 1st Regiment. Couldn't have asked for a better condition.
US Artillery from the same period
British officer's Sappers and Miners button - War of 1812
A beautiful coat sized British Artillery 1830's and a cuff size example.
Again, 1830's 71st Regiment of foot
A few coins. Only two 1837 Lower Canada Halfpennies were in good shape.
And an unexpected Flying Eagle 1858 in a way better condition than my previous example.
A few nice relics. I really like the old religious pendant encrusted with amethysts or amethyst colored glass.
And here's the pic of my largest and smallest coin of the week-end side by side.
P.S. Added a pic of a Charlton colonial tokens catalogue. Guess what's on its cover?
Thanks for the comments.
One of my favorite finds was an absolutely humongous Lesslie & Sons 2 Pence token 1822 in a stunning condition for a 200 years old copper.
I'm not exaggerating, this thing is huge! Weighing 30 grams and measuring 40 mm in diameter, it's the largest coin to ever be minted for the circulation in Canada. A pretty rare and valuable coin in this condition.
I personally never heard of it and really wasn't expecting to recover such an amazing coin on perhaps my last week-end hunt in the fields this season..Until I discovered my next find which in my eyes is even more stunning and certainly more historically significant.
Montreal British Militia button (1790's-1810's) At 30 mm. it's the largest military button I have ever found.
The cool thing about it (on top of it being of an early Militia unit and having such a great conservation state for a dug example) is the fact that it was used as a currency in early 1800's. You can notice in the picture of its back that the shank has been cut off and the space flattened in order for the button to be used as a coin,closely matching the size of the British Halfpenny.
"Among soldiers constantly trying to stretch their pay, buttons were a favourite substitute for coins. Typically, the shank was removed from the back and the button was flattened before being placed into circulation".
Being at the same time one of the earliest Canadian tokens and an early military button the examples of it are part of both : The National Currency Collection of the Bank of Canada and The Canadian War Museum collection. It's featured in Charlton Coin Guide and is an other pretty rare and valuable coin/button from the same week-end
Found a few other military buttons.
My first War of 1812 US Light Artillery 1st Regiment. Couldn't have asked for a better condition.
US Artillery from the same period
British officer's Sappers and Miners button - War of 1812
A beautiful coat sized British Artillery 1830's and a cuff size example.
Again, 1830's 71st Regiment of foot
A few coins. Only two 1837 Lower Canada Halfpennies were in good shape.
And an unexpected Flying Eagle 1858 in a way better condition than my previous example.
A few nice relics. I really like the old religious pendant encrusted with amethysts or amethyst colored glass.
And here's the pic of my largest and smallest coin of the week-end side by side.
P.S. Added a pic of a Charlton colonial tokens catalogue. Guess what's on its cover?
Thanks for the comments.
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