COLONIAL SILVER HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

got out with Frank for a few hours.took him to one of my sites that has been pounded in the past by me,rcat & sniffy.
today i got in the cellar hole and worked the lip of the hole from inside.
it paid off in a few finds.
a barrel tap,a old fork, a broken pewter shoe buckle frame portion and what i thought was a piece of pocket watch guts at first but rubbed it and suprise it's real silver and hand etched with what looks like a pope on one side and the other side looks like it may be saint Anne or saint Anthony holding a flower.with initials SA.
i don't know how old this silver piece dates back to? but,the etching looks to be that age and it's a 1780's site.this may be a "one of a kind" medal?

 

[timekiller]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I'll gonna vote Banner and would agree it's early looking.And the holes remind me of this piece I found at one of the earliest site I hunted so far.It's something that was worn.Was mixed with colonial & indian items as well.
Nice Find,
Take Care,
Pete

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I'll gonna vote Banner and would agree it's early looking.And the holes remind me of this piece I found at one of the earliest site I hunted so far.It's something that was worn.Was mixed with colonial & indian items as well.
Nice Find,
Take Care,
Pete

thanks pete! nice relic and almost the same hole in yours hmmmm??

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Does look like quite a bit of metal, so punched makes sense. I think we're just used to the jagged holes made with square nails. I wish there was more to it, because I know someone who collects such items, but I don't really think he could offer anything different than the rest of us, just another guess.

if it's worth a shot maybe you can ask him.it would be nice to be able to date this if possible.
i appreciate your responses IP and everyone else's so far

And the other reason I don't know if I should send it is because he would probably want to buy it.

hey he could make me an offer! this way i'll have some kinda value on it and for the record?NOT SELLIN

Well I'm pretty sure he could easily afford to offer you an offer you couldn't refuse, but I'm sure he wouldn't... and I didn't think you would sell it. I certainly wouldn't.

I think your find would be as interesting to someone as a good piece of trade silver so a few hundred wouldn't surprise me.

that's cool! i'd still like to see what he thinks if you can show him.

 

[{Sentinel}]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Man, not much to say that hasn't already been said about this stellar find HMN!!!!

 

[MaineRelic]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I have looked at these pics for a long time ! That is one beautiful piece of colonial silver folk / religious art ! Museuem quality Piece of colonial Americanna ! Supurb Find ! MaineRelic

 

[lennon631]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I'm looking forward to going back to read all the replies, but had to fast forward to put my BANNER vote in. Very nice job, FANTASTIC find, gave me chills!!!

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I'm looking forward to going back to read all the replies, but had to fast forward to put my BANNER vote in. Very nice job, FANTASTIC find, gave me chills!!!

wow thanks! i hope this makes it now

 

[foundation hunter]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Real nice 1 of a kind medal,i saw this medal up front and that hole is definitely punched out. Nice Find Gary

 

[Bramblefind]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I keep coming back to Saint Philomena - she often is shown holding the lily and a palm or arrow that might resemble the symbol that is on the left in your medal-

Her tomb was discovered circa 1802 and she was made a saint in 1837.

http://www.saintphilomena.com/aboutst.htm

This makes it a little later than I thought this medal would be but I wanted to put it out there b/c I keep running across it.

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

I keep coming back to Saint Philomena - she often is shown holding the lily and a palm or arrow that might resemble the symbol that is on the left in your medal-

Her tomb was discovered circa 1802 and she was made a saint in 1837.

http://www.saintphilomena.com/aboutst.htm

This makes it a little later than I thought this medal would be but I wanted to put it out there b/c I keep running across it.

I appreciate your research but here is a pic of saint anthony holding the lily.and the intials SA on the medal i think represent that.idk you may be right but,i'm leaning towards st anthony.
look below
http://franciscanworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/st-anthony-of-padua.html

 

[Bramblefind]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

well that makes a lot of sense. I agree it is most likely that the SA are initials for Saint Anthony or another saint A name.

And I do think this piece could easily be 18th century so the St. Philomena idea wouldn't fit that. The pope-like figure does have a more distinctive hair style ..that might help to match him up with a person.

I'm sure some expert out there would be able to id this with certainty. It's such a wonderful piece!

 

[birdman]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Banner, I say again. Great piece of history with a story to tell.

 

[Sniffy]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Thats a really cool relic...We prolly walked right over it a couple dozen times!

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Thats a really cool relic...We prolly walked right over it a couple dozen times!

nah i had to trample through underbrush and jump down into hole.it just under the underbrush.we hit the open areas where ya dug that deep wheatie in the snow

 

[Rege-PA]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

The flat pin you found is used on a muzzle loading rifle or pistol to pin the barrel to the stock. Nice finds!

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

The flat pin you found is used on a muzzle loading rifle or pistol to pin the barrel to the stock. Nice finds!

really? that almost went in the brass scrap bucket.keep it i'm assuming?how old is it?

 

[timekiller]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

The flat pin you found is used on a muzzle loading rifle or pistol to pin the barrel to the stock. Nice finds!

really? that almost went in the brass scrap bucket.keep it i'm assuming?how old is it?

Mainly percussion guns,don't know that I've ever seen them on a flint lock.

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

The flat pin you found is used on a muzzle loading rifle or pistol to pin the barrel to the stock. Nice finds!

really? that almost went in the brass scrap bucket.keep it i'm assuming?how old is it?

Mainly percussion guns,don't know that I've ever seen them on a flint lock.

thats very cool! thanks for posting this pic! a display case keeper now.thanks man!

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Re: COLONIAL HAND MADE CATHOLIC MEDAL?

Banner, I say again. Great piece of history with a story to tell.

thanks! i wish it would start talking.not getting much info thus far

 

[scratcher]

Great finds HMN I think it is interesting that the silver piece is shaped similiarly to pieces of indian trade silver I have seen. There were Catholic misssionaries in the northeast.....



Does it appear that the hole was made after the engraving? In other words, does it punch through the engraving or does the engraving start after the edge of the hole? It almost looks like the hole was made later