It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

batcap · Jul 3, 2011

It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

I picked this up today in a local park. If it is old, it's still probably a recent drop. I was digging bottle caps deeper than this.

The front looks like it has a crowned shield or badge that's divided in 4 quadrants. The lower left and upper right seem to be rampant lions. I can't make out the opposing corners. Alternatively it could be some version Maryland shield, then the lions would actually be crosses.

On the front, I see the letters THEO GAR and maybe SAC * D. On either side of the pinched waist of the shield are the digits 4 and 2.
I can't make any sense of the back.

Anybody seen anything like it?
Edit-new info: it's faintly attracted to a magnet.

Bramblefind · Jul 3, 2011

Re: It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

I think that is a 4 liard from Spanish Netherlands or Belgium, Liege area...

really cool find! :icon_thumleft:

something like this:

batcap · Jul 3, 2011

Re: It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

That was fast! The design on the front and back looks just right. As I edited in, my coin is faintly magnetic. Is it a copy or forgery? Is there any reason to expect a coin of this type to be in Maryland?

Bramblefind · Jul 3, 2011

Re: It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

I can't say if it is a forgery or not. It is supposed to be copper but I don't think it would be completely unheard of for a legit coin like that to have a metal mixture that might be slightly magnetic... or not :laughing7:

Sorry I don't have enough experience in that area.

As far as one being found in Maryland- I don't think that is too unexpected. Maryland was a major entry colony for many European immigrants. It's a great place to be metal detecting :icon_thumleft:

And as I said before - a really cool find. Congratulations!

Maybe some others here might have more to say about the coin...

batcap · Jul 3, 2011

Re: It sure "looks" old. Token or coin?

Thank you Bramblefind. If it is real, I've beaten my previous oldest coin by over 100 years! I think this one is 1751, but I'm not sure.