Three Brothel coins in fountain? Plus a Slave Auction coin on Cape Cod?

[Cape Hunter]

Ok, I am now up to three coins from a homesite/ root cellar. Well... no fountain found so far. Two Braided Hair and one Coronet dated 182? with holes drilled. All found different times same site. The coin in the "center" was found yesterday, which finally got me thinking. These are the only coins I have found on this site with holes drilled. First to find, the Brothel coin is easy to recognize on the reverse side. I don't think I need to spell it out. So my question. Handing out brothel coins required the madam receiving back the same coin. Were the holes to mark the coins? You could not give a customer a plain One Cent. Everybody in town would be getting a free ride! For those unfamiliar with brothel coins. The madam would hand a gentleman (probably not) a coin. The customer would give the coin to a waiting lady, who later would return the coin to the madam to get paid. The waiting lady could be anywhere in town. There has to be a connection here.

Also, the place has been a treasure trove of small fancy buttons. At least 100+ so far. Most by a pond where washing was probably done. A laundry business as well? The site is a tough detect area. It is loaded with iron signals. I had not been there a while. Started going back to the site to use my new Equinox 900 with the 6" coil. I have to say, it's performing far better than the 800 w/6" coil by a mile shot. I'm getting better target number clarity and surprised I had walked right over these coins before. The place was full of old holes by jerks who don't back fill. So I spent a lot of time cleaning up the site and at the same time found a Indian Head right next to one of their fat holes. HA!

Another coin last week from this same site is this 1846 W.W. Wilber Slave Auction Token. How the hell did that get to Cape Cod? Customer? I would love to go back and visit the folks who lived there. Bet I could get a stiff drink and maybe more.

This is also a new find at the site. 1841 Van Buren Hard Times Token. Needs better cleaning, but details are good. Not drilled. Guess no fun times with this coin. Or maybe the ubiquitous of the coins could be used for business as well?? Any guesses?

Here is a page with more information about US One Cent brothel coins. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia104330.html





Thanks for looking!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Ok, I am now up to three coins from a homesite/ root cellar. Well... no fountain found so far. All three Braided Hair with holes drilled. All found different times same site. The coin in the "center" was found yesterday, which finally got me thinking. These are the only coins I have found on this site with holes drilled. First to find, the Brothel coin is easy to recognize on the reverse side. I don't think I need to spell it out. So my question. Handing out brothel coins required the madam receiving back the same coin. Were the holes to mark the coins? You could not give a customer a plain One Cent. Everybody in town would be getting a free ride! For those unfamiliar with brothel coins. The madam would hand a gentleman (probably not) a coin. The customer would give the coin to a waiting lady, who later would return the coin to the madam to get paid. The waiting lady could be anywhere in town. There has to be a connection here.

Also, the place has been a treasure trove of small fancy buttons. At least 100+ so far. Most by a pond where washing was probably done. A laundry business as well? The site is a tough detect area. It is loaded with iron signals. I had not been there a while. Started going back to the site to use my new Equinox 900 with the 6" coil. I have to say, it's performing far better than the 800 w/6" coil by a mile shot. Areas I passed over that place times. I'm now getting better target number clarity and surprised I had walked right over coins. The place was full of old holes by jerks who don't back fill. So I spent a lot of time cleaning up the site and at the same time found a Indian Head right next to one of their fat holes. HA!

Another coin last week from this same site is this 1846 W.W. Wilber Slave Auction Token. How the hell did that get to Cape Cod? Customer? I would love to go back and visit the folks who lived there. Bet I could get a stiff drink and maybe more.

This is also a new find at the site. 1841 Van Buren Hard Times Token. Needs better cleaning, but details are good. Not drilled. Guess no fun times with this coin. Or maybe the ubiquitous of the coins could be used for business as well?? Any guesses?

Thanks for looking!

My goodness!
Those are super finds…!

 

[robertk]

I don't know about the holes, but those are some nice looking finds!

 

[lenmac65]

Interesting post and some great finds. That slave token does seem out of place up here. Perhaps it belongs on the BANNER next to another one that was recently found. Congrats!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

You killed it - well done !

 

[Relicific]

Nice finds

 

[Blak bart]

Wow excellent post with excellent coins/tokens !! Great job with the story also....I learned something !! Banner in my opinion !!

 

[Coinstar magnet]

Ok, I am now up to three coins from a homesite/ root cellar. Well... no fountain found so far. Two Braided Hair and one Coronet dated 182? with holes drilled. All found different times same site. The coin in the "center" was found yesterday, which finally got me thinking. These are the only coins I have found on this site with holes drilled. First to find, the Brothel coin is easy to recognize on the reverse side. I don't think I need to spell it out. So my question. Handing out brothel coins required the madam receiving back the same coin. Were the holes to mark the coins? You could not give a customer a plain One Cent. Everybody in town would be getting a free ride! For those unfamiliar with brothel coins. The madam would hand a gentleman (probably not) a coin. The customer would give the coin to a waiting lady, who later would return the coin to the madam to get paid. The waiting lady could be anywhere in town. There has to be a connection here.

Also, the place has been a treasure trove of small fancy buttons. At least 100+ so far. Most by a pond where washing was probably done. A laundry business as well? The site is a tough detect area. It is loaded with iron signals. I had not been there a while. Started going back to the site to use my new Equinox 900 with the 6" coil. I have to say, it's performing far better than the 800 w/6" coil by a mile shot. I'm getting better target number clarity and surprised I had walked right over these coins before. The place was full of old holes by jerks who don't back fill. So I spent a lot of time cleaning up the site and at the same time found a Indian Head right next to one of their fat holes. HA!

Another coin last week from this same site is this 1846 W.W. Wilber Slave Auction Token. How the hell did that get to Cape Cod? Customer? I would love to go back and visit the folks who lived there. Bet I could get a stiff drink and maybe more.

This is also a new find at the site. 1841 Van Buren Hard Times Token. Needs better cleaning, but details are good. Not drilled. Guess no fun times with this coin. Or maybe the ubiquitous of the coins could be used for business as well?? Any guesses?

Thanks for looking!

I think banner as well on the slave auction token.... It's quite a drive out to the Cape...hope the insects were kind.

 

[Sue_Doanim]

1826. Terrific to find three large cents!

 

[Digginitdaily]

I don't think anyone knows definitely what the holes were for. I believe they were punched in the coins so they could tie them to a string making it Hardee to lose them . I found a one cent trade token and it had a punch mark on one side indicating that it had been spent . It wasn't all the way through the token. Kinda like "hey, this has already been spent. Let's make sure the cashier can't reuse it" lol

 

[pepperj]

Well done on the recoveries. Congrats
The token is certainly a top self find, and deserves to be up top as well.

 

[pepperj]

Charleston’s W.W. Wilbur Auctioneer Tokens – NovaNumismatics.com

www.novanumismatics.com

It's a Bushy Tree
It looks grey in the photo like a dull German silver
Type 2
Not sure if there's a dot after the Ca
If it's a German Silver Bushy Tree the rarity is certainly noted in the link

 

[Dirty Digger Doug]

Nice coins. Great site you're on. Congrats.

 

[Cape Hunter]

I think banner as well on the slave auction token.... It's quite a drive out to the Cape...hope the insects were kind.

Thanks! Insects were not bad but got poison ivy for the third time this year. Hunting near ponds can be dangerous.

 

[Cape Hunter]

Nice coins. Great site you're on. Congrats.

Thank you!

 

[Cape Hunter]

Well done on the recoveries. Congrats
The token is certainly a top self find, and deserves to be up top as well.

Thank you. Looking at the front I had no idea what it was. I was rubbing the back and saw what looked like a tree. Then thought it looks like like a palm tree. I thought no way, this not from around here. Had no idea about the auction part until I got home and cleaned it. Crazy find.

 

[Cape Hunter]

Charleston’s W.W. Wilbur Auctioneer Tokens – NovaNumismatics.com

www.novanumismatics.com

It's a Bushy Tree
It looks grey in the photo like a dull German silver
Type 2
Not sure if there's a dot after the Ca
If it's a German Silver Bushy Tree the rarity is certainly noted in the link

It is grey for sure. I was confused looking on line as most of auction coins look like bronze? Wow, thank you for that information!

 

[Cape Hunter]

Wow excellent post with excellent coins/tokens !! Great job with the story also....I learned something !! Banner in my opinion !!

Thank You!

 

[Digger RJ]

Ok, I am now up to three coins from a homesite/ root cellar. Well... no fountain found so far. Two Braided Hair and one Coronet dated 182? with holes drilled. All found different times same site. The coin in the "center" was found yesterday, which finally got me thinking. These are the only coins I have found on this site with holes drilled. First to find, the Brothel coin is easy to recognize on the reverse side. I don't think I need to spell it out. So my question. Handing out brothel coins required the madam receiving back the same coin. Were the holes to mark the coins? You could not give a customer a plain One Cent. Everybody in town would be getting a free ride! For those unfamiliar with brothel coins. The madam would hand a gentleman (probably not) a coin. The customer would give the coin to a waiting lady, who later would return the coin to the madam to get paid. The waiting lady could be anywhere in town. There has to be a connection here.

Also, the place has been a treasure trove of small fancy buttons. At least 100+ so far. Most by a pond where washing was probably done. A laundry business as well? The site is a tough detect area. It is loaded with iron signals. I had not been there a while. Started going back to the site to use my new Equinox 900 with the 6" coil. I have to say, it's performing far better than the 800 w/6" coil by a mile shot. I'm getting better target number clarity and surprised I had walked right over these coins before. The place was full of old holes by jerks who don't back fill. So I spent a lot of time cleaning up the site and at the same time found a Indian Head right next to one of their fat holes. HA!

Another coin last week from this same site is this 1846 W.W. Wilber Slave Auction Token. How the hell did that get to Cape Cod? Customer? I would love to go back and visit the folks who lived there. Bet I could get a stiff drink and maybe more.

This is also a new find at the site. 1841 Van Buren Hard Times Token. Needs better cleaning, but details are good. Not drilled. Guess no fun times with this coin. Or maybe the ubiquitous of the coins could be used for business as well?? Any guesses?

Here is a page with more information about US One Cent brothel coins. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia104330.html





Thanks for looking!

Very Cool!!!! Congrats!!!!

 

[devldog]

Cape Hunter, Congrat's to you on some really nice Saves of the old coins. You did well at this site. I really like the bushy tree coin and the auction coin with the sail ship. Really nice Saves. Stay at this site awhile, as there is most likely more coins just beneath the surface.