Found French Ring. Can Anyone Help Identify It

[firefour]

Recently I found a French Ring that is silver. It looks like a mans wedding ring smooth and rounded but on the inside there is a raised center and on either side of the raised center it is engaved. On one side of the bevel it is engraved Francais Republique. On the other inside edge it is engraved Liberte Egalite Fraternite 1914. The 1914 is upside down alonside the Liberte Egalite Fraternite. This is a very old ring but in really good shape. Does anyone know anything about it. It was found about 6 inches deep in an old school yard field in NJ.

 

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[Trescher]

Quick Google search picks up this:

http://www.goantiques.com/detail,ring-silver-tone,27682.html?source=VYZ4474

 

[Montana Jim]

Last time I screwed up the translation.. but here I go again anyway...

LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE (Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood)

 

[BuckleBoy]

French coin ring!? Could have been made out of a French silver coin by someone in the trenches in WW I. The motto of the coin could be turned inside out by the maker so that it would appear on the inside, and the outside would just appear to be a smooth band. (This type of metal-work is consistent with most authentic coin rings). Are you sure the motto is "engraved" (i.e., recessed) rather than raised? A photo of the item would be nice. It is probably of French WW I origin, unless the "1914" were originally the date on the coin, in which case it could date from later. Coin rings were made by soldiers during both World Wars.

Rather than buy a high school class ring when I graduated back in 1996, I got a coin ring instead. It was made in WW II out of a Walking Liberty Half. Much more interesting historically. Also much cheaper than those gaudy celestrium bangles.

Buckleboy

 

[Montana Jim]

Oh... and I forgot my manners! Welcome to treasurenet firefour! If anyone can help figure your whatsits out it's these folks.

 

[firefour]

Yes the lettering is raised that was my mistake. Its a beautiful ring. It has some wear on the inside but the raised center protected the raised lettering from wear. I metal detect in the Wayne NJ area mostly with my first detector a Whites DFX.

 

[Dharmacy]

I would say probably coin ring as well. What is really strange is that I was just looking at this site: http://cleanstream.net/mirrors/coin_ring/ just before I say this post. It tells you how to make coin rings.

D.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Welcome....any chance of a picture of it?

 

[BuckleBoy]

I finally found a pic of the coin I suspect might have been used to make your ring. The two franc pice was big enough to make into jewelry. So the real kicker is this--does the style of the script on the ring match this coin? Also look for the little figurations on either side of the date, as well as the dots between each word of the motto. If the your find has these traits, we might have a ringer! (forgive the pun...LOL)

 

[Trescher]

I would say probably coin ring as well. What is really strange is that I was just looking at this site: http://cleanstream.net/mirrors/coin_ring/ just before I say this post. It tells you how to make coin rings.

D.

That is so cool! Makes me want to make one if I ever find a silver coin.
(Well maybe with my second silver find )

 

[BuckleBoy]

Any word back about matching the script, firefour?

 

[firefour]

Yes, The lettering is as far as I can tell identical except for the date. Im in Wayne area of No. Jersey. Im sure it must have some value. Whatever it is it's very unique.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Score!!

Congrats on a great find!


Buckleboy