Coin of some sort? HELP!

Ben0909 · May 18, 2014

I found this coin a while ago and put it to one side meaning to find out what it is but never did!

The coin is a gold colour however im quite sure its not made out of gold as it is very light about the weight of a 5p coin. Its about 2cm in diameter and extremely thin about 1mm. It has weird symbols on, but i have no idea from what language. I also have a strong feeling this is something to do with religion.

On one side there seems to be a warrior possibly greek by the looks of him not sure though! He is holding a spear with a cross on one end going across his body pointing downwards and there appears to be some sort of halo over his head or maybe his helmet hard to tell.

On the other side there is a shield divided into four sections with different images on each section. Above the shield is another cross.. And it appears to all be in a old weighing type thing.

Thats everything i think but if theres anything else you would like to know i can find out!

Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!

Silver Searcher · May 19, 2014

cudamark said:
If it was bent very much, it's not likely pewter. Pewter cracks easily and if gold plated, that should have popped loose at any creases. Any sign of bubbles or worn-through spots?

if you blow the picture up, there are light traces of a silver colour on the legend...hmm.

SS

steelheadwill · May 19, 2014

I thought my first gold coin was a fake or toy when first found also, a jeweler may not be the best idea for authenticating this, most are not coin experts and may use a destructive method just to verify gold composition. better idea is a reputable coin shop, even then I would not let it leave my sight. From the replies posted by others here, I'd say you have the genuine article.
Best Wishes to you, and Congrats whatever the outcome.

steelheadwill · May 19, 2014

Silver Searcher said:
if you blow the picture up, there are light traces of a silver colour on the legend...hmm.

SS

I noticed some color issues too, photos can be deceptive as you know, the details are really good, if it is a fake it is one meant to decieve, not a souvenier.
Either way it's no cheap modern copy, if its a period fake it could be scarcer than a genuine, I prize my pile of GII fakes more than the real ones :laughing7:

steelheadwill · May 19, 2014

In photo #1 the central area appears discolored which generally wont happen on hi K gold (photo issue?) there looks to be a deep pock damaged area just after Henri with no lack of gold color which should show base metal if plated :icon_scratch:

Silver Searcher · May 19, 2014

yaxthri said:
This is a weird thread... So is this thing real or not?
You wrote "Im quite sure that its a Henry VIII Gold Half-angel. The symbols on it are very similar to the ones on that coin! And the Henry VIII Gold half-angel only weighs 2.45g less than a 5p coin.."....

Dear young friend Ben0909 go check your find with someone that has either a gold testing kit or ask a local archaeologist...

I'll give a banner vote to such a find but if it's fake you should tell us

steelheadwill said:
I noticed some color issues too, photos can be deceptive as you know, the details are really good, if it is a fake it is one meant to decieve, certainly not a souvenier.

Yes Will I realise the colour could be camera flash...I would like to know the weight of the coin, but Ben has already said he has no way of doing it.

SS

gino22 · May 19, 2014

There really is quite a bit of leaden coloration on areas of raised detail. Pictures CAN be deceptive, but if I were to see that coloration combined with the relatively light weight in reality, I would not get too excited. Still worth checking out, and hoping it's real.

Has anyone ever seen old high karat gold look like that?

Ben0909 · May 19, 2014

Well the wait continues

Took it to my local jewellers but as i go to school I only got there 10 minutes before it closed and the main person was on the phone.. The other person didn't know to much about coins so she asked me if it was alright if they kept it over night and when i get there tomorrow the tests will of been done! So i will go there tomorrow and find out! And I know now not to put the coin in pliers I didn't look at it too much afterwards so im not sure if it did dent it but i don't have the coin now so i will have to wait! I also think that it is a half angel not an angel as on the trustworthy site wikipedia it says an angel weighs 5.12 grams and the coin i have is lighter than a 5p coin which weighs 3.5grams so im not sure! Once the jewellers get back to me i will tell you but if it is real then how can i find out exactly what coin it is? Thanks for the help everyone!

Ben0909 · May 19, 2014

Oh i also took the photo in the sun and there was no camera flash if that helps!

Silver Searcher · May 19, 2014

Ben0909 said:
Well the wait continues Took it to my local jewellers but as i go to school I only got there 10 minutes before it closed and the main person was on the phone.. The other person didn't know to much about coins so she asked me if it was alright if they kept it over night and when i get there tomorrow the tests will of been done! So i will go there tomorrow and find out! And I know now not to put the coin in pliers I didn't look at it too much afterwards so im not sure if it did dent it but i don't have the coin now so i will have to wait! I also think that it is a half angel not an angel as on the trustworthy site wikipedia it says an angel weighs 5.12 grams and the coin i have is lighter than a 5p coin which weighs 3.5grams so im not sure! Once the jewellers get back to me i will tell you but if it is real then how can i find out exactly what coin it is? Thanks for the help everyone!

Ben...if it is Gold and the test comes back as that, it is a HenryV111 half gold angle, Spinks book value this coin at £900-£3000, someone might pay a little more depending on condition.

SS

gino22 · May 19, 2014

Are there any spots of silver or leaden coloration visible to the naked eye anywhere on the coin? Hard to tell if what I'm seeing on the pics is a variation in surface color or reflection from the sun/camera blurring.

Ben0909 · May 19, 2014

gino22 said:
Are there any spots of silver or leaden coloration visible to the naked eye anywhere on the coin? Hard to tell if what I'm seeing on the pics is a variation in surface color or reflection from the sun/camera blurring.

I don't have the coin on me but i do think that there was a bit of silver colour on the edges.. I guess now isn't the best time to say i lost if for 3 days before i posted it on here.. And my mum found it on the drive and cars had been driving over it..

Davers · May 19, 2014

Ben0909 said:
I don't have the coin on me but i do think that there was a bit of silver colour on the edges.. I guess now isn't the best time to say i lost if for 3 days before i posted it on here.. And my mum found it on the drive and cars had been driving over it..

OUCH!!!! Hope it's real . Being driven over in a drive way would kill a soft gold Coin IMO.
Maybe the tires missed it.

Ben0909 · May 19, 2014

Davers said:
OUCH!!!! Hope it's real . Being driven over in a drive way would kill a soft gold Coin IMO.
Maybe the tires missed it.

Yeah they might of done! Hopefully they missed it! Do coins sell for more of this? Like how rare is this coin?

yaxthri · May 20, 2014

"It's only weird to you not me, the lad is only asking for advice on here, like many people do, how many people post things on here asking if it's gold or silver...a lot, that's why it's called the whatsit forum and he doesn't know if it's fake or not because it has no copy, or reproduction mark."

Silver Searcher by "weird" I only meant that I'm skeptical about people asking this kind of questions. Lots of "weird threads" about platinum nuggets, if you know what I mean now, no offence ment...
I'm a weirdo if you want to call me that, I know, I'll have to live with that.

I still hope that it's a real gold coin and btw Ben, as written by others use no more pliers and no more leaving that coin in the hands of potentially untrustworthy professionals that will "check it out for you"...

Ben0909 · May 20, 2014

Im going to the jewellers soon so i will find out! Im a 16 year old kid it would be pretty low of them to swap it and give me back a fake if it was real.. but i doubt they would do something like that anyway! All part of the learning process i guess

Teamroper · May 20, 2014

Ben0909 said:
Im going to the jewellers soon so i will find out! Im a 16 year old kid it would be pretty low of them to swap it and give me back a fake if it was real.. but i doubt they would do something like that anyway! All part of the learning process i guess

Ben, we ALL learn something every day. Everybody is just hoping that this coin is real and that you will learn something about MDing and how to handle your finds in the process. I personally can't wait to hear if it's real or not, but even then I consider it a real good find and I wish you the best of luck with it. Congrats and please keep us all posted.
:hello2:

Ben0909 · May 20, 2014

Okay I went to the jewellers! Bad news sadly, I'm pretty sure its fake. But I'm not annoyed really I'm more annoyed at the jewellers and my rash thinking! I got too excited and wanted to do something with it, i shouldn't of taken it too the jewellers it was a bad idea! First mistake was allowing them to keep it over night they had no need for it over night.. When i got there today I was given it in a small envelope and the person on the counter the same person as yesterday said I think its a base metal THAT was the only information she gave me i should of asked for more information but i really don't think she had a clue.. The main person came out and said i should take it too a coin specialist and in the 1970's there was a few reproductions he thinks then walked off without me having a chance to say anything! Then out of the blue the woman said that will be £2. I know its not a lot but I had no money on me because yesterday she didn't say that it would cost i should of asked but i wasn't expecting it to cost and she could of at least told me! So i had to walk home and get £2 and walk back and give it her I shouldn't of paid the service was dreadful they didn't seem interested at all! Ah well I have gained a lot of experience from this! I will be trying to find a coin specialist which will probably will take me a while but I'm quite sure its fake.. Thanks for the help everyone i really appreciate it

This has just inspired me to go out metal detecting and hopefully find some good coins! The photo attached is what they gave me

Teamroper · May 20, 2014

Don't worry about it. I still think it's a neat find and you should too. Just take it to a coin specialist when you get a chance and then hopefully you'll know for sure what it is and even maybe some of the history around it. :thumbsup: