✅ SOLVED Mystery coin - Any ideas???

[ModernMiner]

Seems like every time I dig an old coin it’s an oddball. I dug this coin today at a late 1800’s house.
It has a man’s head on the front.
On the reverse I see a large eagle facing right. I can see a “W” below the eagle, and some letters in a second row below the “W”.

Any ideas what it is?
Age?

Thanks for your help,
MM

 

[UnderMiner]

That's an easy one, a French 2nd Empire, Napoleon III 5 centimes. Good score! He would be dethroned by the Germans during the Franco Prussian War in 1870, so your coin dates to before then.

 

[Whynotnow?]

Cool looking coin!

 

[ModernMiner]

That's an easy one, a French 2nd Empire, Napoleon III 5 centimes. Good score! He would be dethroned by the Germans during the Franco Prussian War in 1870, so your coin dates to before then.
View attachment 2126871

Wow!!! Thank you so much. 👍🍺
Finally found an old one .
So on your example there is an “A” under the eagle. On mine there is a “W”.
Are those mint marks like we have on U.S. coins?
Thanks for your help,
MM

 

[UnderMiner]

Wow!!! Thank you so much. 👍🍺
Finally found an old one .
So on your example there is an “A” under the eagle. On mine there is a “W”.
Are those mint marks like we have on U.S. coins?
Thanks for your help,
MM

Yes, the W mint mark means your coin was struck in the city of Lille, a city of about 100,000 at the time. Here is a photo from 1870 the last year of Napoleon III's reign.

 

[ModernMiner]

Yes, the W mint mark means your coin was struck in the city of Lille, a city of about 100,000 at the time. Here is a photo from 1870 the last year of Napoleon III's reign.
View attachment 2126875

Am I right in saying that my coin would be 1853-1858 according to this link?

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces485.html

 

[UnderMiner]

Am I right in saying that my coin would be 1853-1858 according to this link?

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces485.html

Yes, it seems the Lille mint went out of commission in 1858, very good reserch MM!

 

[ModernMiner]

Yes, it seems the Lille mint went out of commission in 1858, very good reserch MM!

Too bad they weren’t made out of silver. 🤪 I will marked this one down as SOLVED. 🤪

It’s tough to beat us “Miners”

 

[Bamasteve]

Nice find and great info! Congrats

 

[Merf]

Seems like every time I dig an old coin it’s an oddball. I dug this coin today at a late 1800’s house.
It has a man’s head on the front.
On the reverse I see a large eagle facing right. I can see a “W” below the eagle, and some letters in a second row below the “W”.

Any ideas what it is?
Age?

Thanks for your help,
MM

Great find MM. keep up the good work.👍