Possibly The Oldest Coin Ive Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been IDd

bookfisher

Bronze Member
Jun 18, 2005
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Long Island, New York
Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been ID'd

Back to the woods today, and again, right off the bat I came up with this early copper coin. The obverse has a crown with a V and the reverse has a crown with a shield. It's bigger than a quarter and just about the size of a large cent. Can anybody identify it? I'm going to try Don In South Jersey's method of cleaning it in boiling hydrogen peroxide. If it comes out better I'll add new pictures. Also found another A.M. Peasley Boston Navy Button. This one is a cuff button. Is it also War of 1812?

I found the coin on the web last night. Below is the link to my post where the coin is ID'd

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,81788.0.html
 

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Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

Awesome finds!That button sure looks like it could be from about that period....gotta be proud of that. hh rh
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

im sure someone here will know for sure. that looks like a spanish shield to me, but im no expert. great finds!
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

very cool! I can't wait to see how it cleans up! :D
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

Nice finds. Glad to see you "weathered" the nor'easter. I'm going to take a wild guess at British on that coin. Let me know if I win the pool. :)

Mike
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

Nice find and sorry I can't help with the ID but I'll be waiting to hear what it is also. Congrats on a nice find
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

Sweet finds. I'd hit that site some more.
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

Man those are some really nice finds. Can't help on the coin, but does look really old. I'll keep checking back to see who ID's it. The button is really nice also. Was there 1812 battles in your area? I found a War of 1812 Silver Plated Officers button last year here in Ohio, valued at over $400. They say it's one of the best they have seen dug.

Good Luck, Ringfinder
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

That sure looks like an old coin dating back to the 1700's, I don't know for sure just throwing out a wild guess. Hope someone is able to ID it for you.
That must have been an exciting find.
Nice.
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

hollowpointred said:
that looks like a spanish shield to me, but im no expert. great finds!

Yep, that was one of the first things I thought too. I could also be a VOC coin (Dutch East India Company) It's probably not but the v stood out. If it is it's a long way from home. Keep us posted with the id.

Cheers
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Button

Very Cool...Is that a 3 inside the V and it has a crown on top?....Congrats to you
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

Great Dig!!

HH Twister
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

late 1600-early 1700 spanish reale looked for an hour but no dice on a positive ID
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

Great finds! I believe the button would date from 1808-1825.
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug - Can Anyone ID? Plus Another Navy Bu

It could be a spanish reale. The side with the V on it looks like it may have "hispania" written on the right side, which a lot of the reales did. And in the middle of the V looks like a 3, so it could be a 3 reale. I've looked for a while and cannot find a picture, but only that they were in circulation for a short time.

On the other side the only thing I can get from it is that there is the crest, and to the left of it there seems to be a "P", which would mean it was made in potosi, bolivia. And on the left side there may be a "GRAT" , which might have been part of the phrase "dei gratia", which means "by the grace of God." It's so similar to the reales around the 2nd or fourth, but I haven't been able to find an exact match. Good luck!
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been

This coin has now been id on bookfisher's other thread. And I was on the wrong track. Bummer. ;)
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been ID'd

wtg
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been

I thought the coin looked familiar from old posts, and then I noticed the date of the original post, and saw it was yours!

It took a while, but you got your ID! Congratulations!
 

Re: Possibly The Oldest Coin I've Ever Dug Can Anyone ID? Update: Coin Has Been

The coin looks like a Spanish maravedis to me, I bought a few at the coin store where I work..... Probably 1650-1750? I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's a maravedis..... As far as the ruler or variety I have no idea. On the side with the V it says "Gratia" around the bottom which should be "(Rulers name) dei Gratia" meaning "(Whoever) by the grace of God." I can't believe what people find on Long Island! I'm in Manhasset and the oldest thing I've found is 1830's! I'll try and see if I can find any info on it. Either way I'm green with envy.
Congrats!

- Ted
 

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