🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Gear made from a one cent copper? Year ID?

[Underwonder]

I found this gear which seemed pretty substantial and when I cleaned it up, it appears to have leaves and letters. I have twisted and turned it in the light and it seems to say “ONE CENT” and have a wreath. The onverse is more difficult to see. My best guess is between 1796 and 1804 penny based on the face looking right, and the distinctive patch of hair bumped out in the middle… Any other ideas on this date? …or why a gear was fashioned from a penny? and for what purpose? Thanks!

 

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[Tpmetal]

I think you nailed it down as close as you will get as to what year it is. Quite likely made to replace a clock gear, I think the teeth are way too small for use as a spur rowel.

There is absolutely no way this would work in a clock....the percision needed just to allow the mechanism to spin, let alone keep time, is quite high.

 

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[dozer dan]

Very cool find I think whatever it's use was it was very ingenious to repurpose a penny. I actually have done it with two pennies to fix my overall straps they folded to the same size and shape as the piece that broke off.

I’ve drilled holes through them (copper pennies) to make crush washers for bolts when I needed them. Saves a lot of time when the only option is running all over town looking for the right part.

 

[l.cutler]

There is absolutely no way this would work in a clock....the percision needed just to allow the mechanism to spin, let alone keep time, is quite high.

Yes, looking at it some more I would have to agree. The more I think about it, the more I would think it is one of those pie crust perforator tools. I have seen large cents made into them before, still on the handle. The hole in the center just seems to small to be a spur rowel, but I am not that familiar with them. I suppose anything we come up with is just conjecture anyway, the only people who know for sure are the ones who made and used it, and they are long gone! Still fun to hash it out though.

 

[DCMatt]

I'm liking the find a lot.
The repurposing of a LC into a functional item is so cool.
Got one cent they have a replacement-cost effective-as they might had to go to town (miles and miles away) or it just wasn't available and had to be ordered in.
Though I'm thinking it was made into a pastry jigger.
View attachment 1990841

Agree. Pastry cutter. Do a Google image search on 'large cent pie'. You'll see a number of examples.