Early home site second day, Silver ring, William Woods Coin circa 1722, brass child's ring, really cool brass tap.

Cape Hunter

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This coin was down quite deep. Has condition problems. Appears be copper but more brittle. Looks to be William Woods Rosa Americana Half Penny coin. Circa 1722. Little over 3/4 inches. Does not weigh very much compared to a copper coin of similar size. Barrel Tap was way down, thought it was going to be a ax head, was very surprised what I pulled it out . Small spout, must have been for liqueur or maybe whale oil. Added more information about the barrel tap further down. Some buckle parts. Child's ring with beveled edges and Small bit of Silver leaf showing. This area over looks a small fresh water pond. Not many early homes here on the cape had wells. Soil is all sand.
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coin 1.jpg
coil 2.jpg
silver ring.jpg

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Florida Finder

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This coin was down quite deep. Has condition problems. Looks to be copper. Tap was way down, thought it was going to be a ax head, was very surprised when I pulled it out . More buckle parts. Child's ring has beveled edges. Small bit of Silver leaf showing. This area over looks a small fresh water pond. Not many early homes here on the cape had wells. Soil is all sand.
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Love your finds.Most especially the ring. Congratulations on a great day of hunting!
 

grasshopper

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The coin certainly looks like a Rosa Americana but it also looks pretty small in your hand. I have never found one so I don't know what size they are. If it's the real deal, it's early 1700s and a fantastic find!
 

OP
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Cape Hunter

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The coin certainly looks like a Rosa Americana but it also looks pretty small in your hand. I have never found one so I don't know what size they are. If it's the real deal, it's early 1700s and a fantastic find!
It's a little over 3/4 inch. It does say Rosa Americana. Flower on back is very close.
 

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Cape Hunter

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Great find. It is indeed a 'Rosa Americana' but that isn't what the legend actually says. I think you'll find its the abbreviated 'ROSA . AMERI : UTILE . DULCI' variant. Like this:

View attachment 1984019
Thank you! Is the unabbreviated coin a little larger? This one is a hair over 3/4 inches with dirt.
 

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Cape Hunter

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Great find. It is indeed a 'Rosa Americana' but that isn't what the legend actually says. I think you'll find its the abbreviated 'ROSA . AMERI : UTILE . DULCI' variant. Like this:

View attachment 1984019
Hope you don't mind. I used the image you posted to correct the difference. Bill
 

Red-Coat

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Thank you! Is the unabbreviated coin a little larger? This one is a hair over 3/4 inches with dirt.

Hope you don't mind. I used the image you posted to correct the difference. Bill

You're welcome.

The size variations are from the fact that Wood produced these coins as twopences, pennies, and halfpennies. If yours is ¾ inch (22mm) then it will be a halfpenny. Wood produced a number of design variations and probably from two different mints but – although there are minor differences in specifications – the approximate diameters were: twopence at 32mm, penny at 27mm, and halfpenny at 22mm.

I often note that Americans in particular struggle to get their minds round the fact that (as for British copper coins of the period) they weren’t marked with their intended value, but relied on differences in diameter (and weight) to distinguish between them. Many American sites just refer to them as ‘coppers’ without any discrimination.

Incidentally, they’re not copper. Wood’s original specification was for something called “Bath Metal” (a high zinc brass with a bit of tin and bismuth, plus 5% silver) but around half the weight of their British copper equivalents. There’s a strong suspicion he later downgraded that composition, arising from the financial consequences of having to pay £10,000 to the mistress of George I to secure a Royal Patent for producing the coins. There’s also a suggestion that he began ‘lightweighting’ the coins to reduce his losses, but no real evidence to support that.
 

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Jeff H

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Nice finds! Your Rosa is a half pence rather than the 2 pence. They don't hold up well in the ground so yours is pretty typical. Love the barrel tap. I have yet to put my coil over one.
 

JeffInMass

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This coin was down quite deep. Has condition problems. Appears be copper but more brittle. Looks to be William Woods Rosa Americana Two Pence coin. Circa 1722. Little over 3/4 inches. Does not weigh very much compared to a copper coin of similar size. Images of a uncirculated version images attached.

Tap was way down, thought it was going to be a ax head, was very surprised when I pulled it out . Small spout, must have been for liqueur or maybe whale oil. Some buckle parts. Child's ring with beveled edges and Small bit of Silver leaf showing. This area over looks a small fresh water pond. Not many early homes here on the cape had wells. Soil is all sand.
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Great finds- Congrats neighbor!
 

Digger RJ

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This coin was down quite deep. Has condition problems. Appears be copper but more brittle. Looks to be William Woods Rosa Americana Two Pence coin. Circa 1722. Little over 3/4 inches. Does not weigh very much compared to a copper coin of similar size. Images of a uncirculated version images attached.

Tap was way down, thought it was going to be a ax head, was very surprised when I pulled it out . Small spout, must have been for liqueur or maybe whale oil. Some buckle parts. Child's ring with beveled edges and Small bit of Silver leaf showing. This area over looks a small fresh water pond. Not many early homes here on the cape had wells. Soil is all sand.
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Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!
 

CASPER-2

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Congrats on your ROSA
I have found a 2 pence in western Ma.
 

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Found a very close copy to my barrel tap. Mine does not have holes drilled for filter. Tap images and information from finds.org.uk
brass barrel tap.jpg



A common type of post-medieval barrel tap has a pipe with a closed end and perforations to act as a crude filter. This usually has a striated or corrugated outer surface, probably to provide grip against the wood of the barrel . At the other end a boss would have been hammered to help get the tap into the barrel. A tap comparable to was found at Launceston Castle, Cornwall, in association with later 18th-century pottery (Mould in Saunders 2006, 313).
Post-medieval barrel tap
Post-medieval barrel tap with closed pipe (PUBLIC-B94B94)
 

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Digger RJ

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Found a very close copy to my barrel tap. Mine does not have holes drilled for filter. Tap images and information from finds.org.uk
View attachment 1984111


A common type of post-medieval barrel tap has a pipe with a closed end and perforations to act as a crude filter. This usually has a striated or corrugated outer surface, probably to provide grip against the wood of the barrel . At the other end a boss would have been hammered to help get the tap into the barrel. A tap comparable to was found at Launceston Castle, Cornwall, in association with later 18th-century pottery (Mould in Saunders 2006, 313).
Post-medieval barrel tap
Post-medieval barrel tap with closed pipe (PUBLIC-B94B94)
Nice!!! Congrats!!!!
 

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