No 19 copper disc

[BomberJohn]

Any idea what this might be? It is a copper disc measuring 0.91" diameter and .075" thick. It has one hole at the top and two at the bottom. It reads "No 19 COPPER". The "No" is raised. The "N" is backwards and the "o" is underlined. The "19" is stamped in. Below the "19" it says "COPPER" (also stamped in) and the two bottom holes are over the O and E. The reverse is unreadable at the moment.

Thanks,
John

 

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[Monty]

Either a tool check tag or a miner's tag. Probably brass. Monty

 

[creskol]

Based on its size of just under an inch, my guess is that it's tool check.

Most miner's tags, I think, were about the size of of a half dollar.

But, who knows?? Monty's "either or" post is probably dead on!

The three hole configuration is rather interesting, also.

Nice find!!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The bottom holes appear to be added later.

 

[jamesabrt]

Does it look to anyone else like the lettering on top is two capital I letters with a check mark between them? I don't know what the item is, but if the lettering is not a backward N, but what I described above, it might make a difference as to its' use.
I'm fairly new to the site so don't make too much fun of me for my input, but it does look kind of like a tool check-out tag, like Monty said, that you would use whenever you would check a tool out of a manned tool room.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

I vote with Monty. Good find.

 

[La Beep]

Possibly a pole tag.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Does it look to anyone else like the lettering on top is two capital I letters with a check mark between them? I don't know what the item is, but if the lettering is not a backward N, but what I described above, it might make a difference as to its' use.
I'm fairly new to the site so don't make too much fun of me for my input, but it does look kind of like a tool check-out tag, like Monty said, that you would use whenever you would check a tool out of a manned tool room.

Im thinking the N was stamped from the back because its raised. But then it would say oN.

 

[AU24K]

Also, the "o" appears to be an "omega" symbol or a backwards "q".
Scott

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Possibly a pole tag.

Im going with LaBeep here on the telephone pole tag. Copper naptanate was a treatment used to preserve poles.

http://www.johnlund.net/uupp/questions.html#treatment

 

[BomberJohn]

Also, the "o" appears to be an "omega" symbol or a backwards "q".
Scott

Scott, my original thought was that the o was the omega symbol too. It is definitely an underlined o. I am pretty confident it reads "No 19".
What I'm not sure about is the word COPPER. The O and E aren't there and I noticed the C appears to be slightly smaller than the other letters. I researched CPPR too and haven't found anything yet.

John

 

[traderoftreasures]

and it looks like red brass

 

[jamesabrt]

This is just something else to check out. I can't make out the second P very well between the two holes, but I found out there was a Canadian Pacific Railroad so could it possibly be a marker from a railroad crosstie used under the tracks? I know when we were kids down here we used to jump the rail cars and walk the track and some of the ties had I.D. tags so they could be identified if someone decided they needed a good corner post for their barb wire fence.
I'm probably way off but I thought it might be worth a shot.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I still say pole because they needed to be marked with a tag as to the different preservative treatments. A common treatment was with copper.

 

[jamesabrt]

You're probably right bigcypresshunter, I was just throwing something else out for people to think about.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Im just guessing on the pole marker but it makes sense. 3 holes makes sense too on a pole. I think the bottom holes were nailed in at a later date through the letters.

I dont know what RR tie markers look like. They are collectable so there may be a link.. I know they marked the ties with date nails. I guess they may have been marked with the copper treatment tags as well but I think they mostly used creosote. I dont think the letters are spaced correctly for CPRR. http://facstaff.uindy.edu/~oaks/DateNailInfo.htm
http://facstaff.uindy.edu/~oaks/TiePreservation.htm

 

[johnnyi]

My guess is that it refers to 19 gauge copper, and may have been a drawer or box tag. 19 gauge copper was not uncommon for washers, rivets, copper nails, etc., and all these would have to be sorted by size and composition.