✅ SOLVED I would love to know what this gold gilted piece came from..

[creskol]

This gilted piece of pewter measures 2 3/4 inches long I 1/4 inches wide at the widest point, and is paper thin. What looks like gray splotches in the photos is actually gold. My camera would not capture that. This was the only thing I found today wandering through the woods. It's a curious piece.

 

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[ticndig]

I can't wait to see what the guys come up with on this one , I have nothing to offer other than I see the the details you've pointed out.

 

[ARC]

Flip it over and turn upside down... it will look like Kentucky...

 

[creskol]

I have been trying to clean it in hopes of revealing more detail. What I thought was a wagon wheel is really an iron cross.

 

[ticndig]

It looks like writing across it , between the tree and cross. maybe put a piece of paper on it and rub with a pencil to see what it says.

 

[Gene Mean]

It looks like writing across it , between the tree and cross. maybe put a piece of paper on it and rub with a pencil to see what it says.

Yeah, that lettering might be the key.

 

[invent4hir]

Wonder if it is part of a souvenir tray or printing plate. In addition to those mentioned above a few other features include: 1) a scroll; 2) maybe the top of a "C"; 3) a long straight line; 4) a curved line, maybe representing a beach; 5) a notch along the rim (see yellow box). Not sure if it is there for decoration or another purpose.

 

[creskol]

I have tried a rubbing, but unfortunately it doesn't show anymore than you can see in the photos.
The one will probably end up in the junk box.

 

[creskol]

Wonder if it is part of a souvenir tray or printing plate. In addition to those mentioned above a few other features include: 1) a scroll; 2) maybe the top of a "C"; 3) a long straight line; 4) a curved line, maybe representing a beach; 5) a notch along the rim (see yellow box). Not sure if it is there for decoration or another purpose.

Good eyes! Thanks for your photo. I will take another look at it in the morning.

 

[invent4hir]

Good eyes! Thanks for your photo. I will take another look at it in the morning.

creskol, you're welcome. Hold off tossing it into the junk box. I'm going to send the link to this thread to a few historians, maybe they'll know what it is. If the rubbing brings out any more letters, let us know.

 

[invent4hir]

creskol, one historian said even if he held your find in his hand he'd have difficulty IDing. The other has yet to reply. Will give him another 1-2 days then post a final update.

 

[creskol]

Well .. My curiosity got the best of me, so I took this piece to a jeweler friend this morning, and at the risk of loosing some of the gold gilt, I had him professionally clean it for me. I think this piece is German, but still don't know what it is.

 

[vpone]

pretty cool ....

vp

 

[creskol]

Here is another shot in different lighting.

 

[creskol]

In looking at the iron cross, I see a crown at the top, a W in the middle and 191_ at the bottom, so I believe it is WWI era and the cross looked like this:

 

[invent4hir]

creskol, the second historian did know either. On the bright side the jeweler did a great cleaning job I agree with your take on the cross. Zooming in, the letters appear to be "Fünu_sc_e". Tried using an on-line German to English translator - but the 2 missing letters made it a no go. Then tried typing English words like "victory" in the translator but no German words came close to matching the string of letters. Someone on TNet is bound to know the German language and hopefully can suggest some words that will make sense relative to the cross.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Remains of a Prussian/German WWI Veterans cigarette case or match box?

https://derrittmeister.com/product/cigarette-case-dedicated-1916-verdun/

 

[Retired Sarge]

creskol, the second historian did know either. On the bright side the jeweler did a great cleaning job I agree with your take on the cross. Zooming in, the letters appear to be "Fünu_sc_e". Tried using an on-line German to English translator - but the 2 missing letters made it a no go. Then tried typing English words like "victory" in the translator but no German words came close to matching the string of letters. Someone on TNet is bound to know the German language and hopefully can suggest some words that will make sense relative to the cross.

Fünu_sc_e might be Für u_sc_e which would be For u_sc_e.

 

[invent4hir]

creskol, regardless if the word(s) and ID are positively determined, with the iron cross I'd put that your keepers. Consider securing it to a sturdy backing to prevent the bottom part of the cross from breaking off.

 

[Sod Buster]

It says FÜR UNSERE, which means "FOR OUR". Apparently some text missing that would indicate who or what it was for.

Example: For our Father, For our Son, For our Country, For our Soldiers......etc

Nice job on the clean up.....