Need Help with water find

[FloridaBill]

I went to my nieces in Miami this weekend and hunted Key Biscayne Beach and found this. It is very thin maybe from the saltwater appears to be copper or gold and is the size of a quarter any guesses I'm lost....

 

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[Moe (fl)]

Very interesting find for South Florida!

French Jeton. You can see the Fleur-de-Lis on obv. The rev side shows the Imperial Orb with three arches and three angles . Jetons are thin!

Was it found in water?

HH.
Moe

 

[FloridaBill]

Very interesting find!

Looks like a French Jeton. You can see the Fleur-de-Lis. Jetons are thin!

Was it found in water?

HH.
Moe

Yes on the East Coast near South Beach in Miami chest deep about 1 1/2' down

 

[Northern Lights]

I concur with Moe. that pattern inside what looks like a sheild is the Fleur - de - lis it's a french Quebec emblem, item may have been lost by a Quebec snowbird as they invade Florida in the thousands. this is one of their flags which shows the emblem.

tc

 

[Moe (fl)]

FloridaBill,

If real, the jeton may be 15-16th century. Is there a French wreck in South Florida? Or perhaps it came from another ship or like tc suggests, someone lost it. The French were in Jacksonville around 1562 and got expelled by Spain in 1565.

Is it gold or brass/copper? What size and weight? If you can decipher the letters (latin) it may be easier to identify exact period (year).

Amazing find! Congratulations!

Moe

 

[FloridaBill]

Moe it is paper thin and weighs 1.4 grams. I cant really tell it may be gold becuase it wasnt dis colored, and being so light and about 1 1/2' down in chest deep water I would think it would have been there forever.
I don't know about the wrecks I live on the West coast of Florida but my niece lives in Miami that why I was hunting there. Thanks for all the input

 

[mumszie]

What a cool find! I used to live in Miami and all of our spare time was spent at Key Biscayne beaches and Crandon Park. WTG Bill

 

[Dixie Digger]

WOW thats a great find Bill!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LadyDigger]

WOW...awesome coin! Congrats!!!

The hole in it reminds me of some coins found on my hubby's property in the Carolinas (coastline) from an archeaological dig done back in '98. I was told the reason for the hole was that the Indians (in this case ... the Croatans), wore them. I wonder if that is the case with this coin you found!

Again, CONGRATS!!!
Annmarie

 

[ivan salis]

psst the spanish also used the fluer de lis after the boutbon family of france took over the spanish throne * so both the french and spanish used the design --- find your time frame and you'll know which group it belonged to. old coins are often holed since folk wore them on a leather thong about their necks or pinned to the inside of the clothes. -- pockets on clothes came around later in time.

the tri fluer de lis design was used by the french as a flag design --from 1400 thru 1590 (blue background) and from 1590 to 1790.(white background) for that reason I think it is french most likely . (1400 to 1790 rough time frame)

google " tri fluer de lis on sheild background " and you will see the design for yourself.---maybe from a ship rhat wrecked while headed to / from the new orleans area?

 

[bill-USA]

This site continually amazes me with the breadth and depth of the information available from our members. Here I see a 'never' before posted item, clearly of 'foreign' origin, and it's classified and nearly pinned down to date of manufacture in a matter of moments.

Really impressive work folks! Congratulations on the find and the rapid ID.

 

[beachboy]

Real shipwreck treasure.....Awesome....FloridaBill.....

 

[Moe (fl)]

FloridaBill,

The jeton you found seems French not just because the fleur de lis design but also the imperial orb on reverse. Old French coins were usually thin which yours seems to be.

If you post clearer pictures of the letters (closeup) I can try to identify the period and origin.

This is definitely an unusual find for the Miami area. Make sure to go back to the area where you found the coin. There may be more treasure there! Perhaps you are onto something...Happy Hunting!

Moe