✅ SOLVED Mystery Lead Discs with Writing

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I found these two lead discs yesterday on a property with British Military settlement history.
They have what appears to be letters and possibly numbers cast into the lead.
I found these together in the same hole about 8" deep.
They measure approx. 23mm x 3mm and weight 21.4g and 20.8g respectively.

At first I was thinking they might be scale weights, but now I don't know?

Any thoughts as far as age and original use would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[creskol]

They might be "handy ingots" which were melted and added to early lead-based paints.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

They might be "handy ingots" which were melted and added to early lead-based paints.

The handy ingots seems a possibility 2 DUTCH BOY PAINT HANDY INGOTS NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY PAPERWEIGHT NLCO RARE OLD | eBay but the patent is 1945. If these interesting lead discs have serif (shown in red) lettering, it would mean they are older. Hard to see but the lettering on the discs looks an older style with serifs. I wish we could read one of them.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Actually the patent is just for that type of strip. So maybe it was for a 19th century lead paint.

From Wiki

The dangers of lead paint were considered well-established by the beginning of the 20th century. In the July 1904 edition of its monthly publication, Sherwin-Williams reported the dangers of paint containing lead, noting that a French expert had deemed lead paint "poisonous in a large degree, both for the workmen and for the inhabitants of a house painted with lead colors."[4] As early as 1886, German health laws prohibited women and children from working in factories processing lead paint and lead sugar.[5]

So yes they may be 19th century lead paint discs

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

They might be "handy ingots" which were melted and added to early lead-based paints.

Thank you very much for your thoughts creskol.

The handy ingots seems a possibility 2 DUTCH BOY PAINT HANDY INGOTS NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY PAPERWEIGHT NLCO RARE OLD | eBay but the patent is 1945.
If these interesting lead discs have serif (shown in red) lettering, it would mean they are older. Hard to see but the lettering on the discs looks an older style with serifs.
I wish we could read one of them.

View attachment 1461507View attachment 1461509View attachment 1461511

Thank you so much for all of the information and for your research BCH!
I greatly appreciate it,
Dave

Actually the patent is just for that type of strip. So maybe it was for a 19th century lead paint.

From Wiki

"The dangers of lead paint were considered well-established by the beginning of the 20th century. In the July 1904 edition of its monthly publication, Sherwin-Williams reported the dangers of paint containing lead, noting that a French expert had deemed lead paint "poisonous in a large degree, both for the workmen and for the inhabitants of a house painted with lead colors."[4] As early as 1886, German health laws prohibited women and children from working in factories processing lead paint and lead sugar".

So yes they may be 19th century lead paint discs

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I wish we could read one. Could it be a patent date?