My oldest coin dug to date

neodetectorist

Bronze Member
Jan 4, 2016
1,026
4,171
NE Ohio
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro W Stock coil, Fisher F2 W 8" Concentric and 9.5" NEL DD, XPointer pin pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
2023 is off to a good start.
Dug in the USA.
I found my oldest coin to date today. 1837 Canadian Bank Token Half Penny.
Non-Dug example also shown. Mine has pretty good detail considering it being buried for possibly 180+ years lol.

OBVERSE
Standing man and the legend.
Lettering: PROVINCE DU BAS CANADA UN SOU

REVERSE
Shield of Arms with the denomination and the legend.
Lettering: BANK TOKEN CONCORDIA SALUS BANK OF MONTREAL 1837 HALF PENNY
 

Attachments

  • F42E411E-F1CE-4893-9CE3-9CF3CEE26F41.jpeg
    F42E411E-F1CE-4893-9CE3-9CF3CEE26F41.jpeg
    281.7 KB · Views: 156
  • 61136C5A-CD09-455F-B15F-C1DFC69C578E.jpeg
    61136C5A-CD09-455F-B15F-C1DFC69C578E.jpeg
    280.7 KB · Views: 78
  • B91A2269-10D1-41FB-B249-26638EB46375.jpeg
    B91A2269-10D1-41FB-B249-26638EB46375.jpeg
    50.8 KB · Views: 77
  • BE2AEB0E-6668-420F-B18A-DAB014D89033.jpeg
    BE2AEB0E-6668-420F-B18A-DAB014D89033.jpeg
    48.7 KB · Views: 75
  • 34ECB2C7-45D0-4F67-9EEB-9F118C7E5568.jpeg
    34ECB2C7-45D0-4F67-9EEB-9F118C7E5568.jpeg
    3.5 MB · Views: 80
Upvote 43
2023 is off to a good start.
Dug in the USA.
I found my oldest coin to date today. 1837 Canadian Bank Token Half Penny.
Non-Dug example also shown. Mine has pretty good detail considering it being buried for possibly 180+ years lol.

OBVERSE
Standing man and the legend.
Lettering: PROVINCE DU BAS CANADA UN SOU

REVERSE
Shield of Arms with the denomination and the legend.
Lettering: BANK TOKEN CONCORDIA SALUS BANK OF MONTREAL 1837 HALF PENNY
Very cool find and great design! I imagine it was cold during your dig...
 

2023 is off to a good start.
Dug in the USA.
I found my oldest coin to date today. 1837 Canadian Bank Token Half Penny.
Non-Dug example also shown. Mine has pretty good detail considering it being buried for possibly 180+ years lol.

OBVERSE
Standing man and the legend.
Lettering: PROVINCE DU BAS CANADA UN SOU

REVERSE
Shield of Arms with the denomination and the legend.
Lettering: BANK TOKEN CONCORDIA SALUS BANK OF MONTREAL 1837 HALF PENNY
Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!
 

Very cool find and great design! I imagine it was cold during your dig...
Actually it was mid 40s (F) today.
Last week however it was single digits (F). Pretty Typical here to have temperature swings like this.
 

Its in really nice condition, but surely your oldest Token, not coin?
Yes I consider this my oldest coin since they were circulated currency and considered spendable money. Research lead me to learn that these were made to emulate the British Half Pennies at the time due to the Southern Canadian Province having a shortage at the time.
Of course, I am far from an expert lol. Have a Happy New Year and Thanks for looking.
 

Last edited:
Now that is a great start to the New Year.:hello2:
Also really too funny I dug the "One Penny" version yesterday.
My post up this morning
 

Yes I consider this my oldest coin since they were circulated currency and considered spendable money. Research lead me to learn that these were made to emulate the British Half Pennies at the time due to the Southern Canadian Province having a shortage at the time.
Of course, I am far from an expert lol. Have a Happy New Year and Thanks for looking.
Most trade tokens somewhat circulated as spendable change, but I would still cat. it as a Token.
 

...well yes it is a token, it would be known as a "Breton 522". But also not a trade token but a bank authorized token.

During the first half of the 19th century there was a chronic shortage of small coins in Lower Canada. In 1835, following a government decision to remove all the lightweight pieces from circulation, the shortage became acute. No official coins were issued but the Bank of Montreal, the Quebec Bank, the City Bank and La Banque du Peuple were given authority to issue penny and halfpenny tokens of a weight similar to that of British copper coins.
 

...well yes it is a token, it would be known as a "Breton 522". But also not a trade token but a bank authorized token.

During the first half of the 19th century there was a chronic shortage of small coins in Lower Canada. In 1835, following a government decision to remove all the lightweight pieces from circulation, the shortage became acute. No official coins were issued but the Bank of Montreal, the Quebec Bank, the City Bank and La Banque du Peuple were given authority to issue penny and halfpenny tokens of a weight similar to that of British copper coins.
Yeap interesting thanks, I see the difference, but still a Token.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top