Rev War Military, and Rare Blacksmith token!

[Iron Patch]

Today is my 15th anniversary for finding my first old coins detecting , and we did an anniversary hunt and damn was it a hunt! We started back where I had dug the early military from last post and did ok there, then walked to the middle of the next field and found a little more, walked to the bottom and found more, crossed the river and found a little site where Rev War pewters were flying... and then even one final new site which gave up quite a few small buttons and each a large copper, but little else.

The day was great. 10 large coppers, Large Rev War era Navy officer button, 4 RPs, and a crude anchor that I have no idea about, and is not in the books... but sure gives the impression of Continental Navy!


So I get home and am looking over the coppers, and cleaning what I can, and see one that catches my attention and think..... hmmm... is that what I think it might be... well probably not. I even set it aside and forget about it for 20 minutes looking at everything else.... but the 2nd time it got my attention I grabbed my book and immediately turned to the Blacksmith section and bam! What a way to celebrate my 15th Anniversary of finding my first old coins by finding my first blacksmith token! She is not beautiful, but I have been waiting most of those 15 years to get one and strange this happened to be the day. And it's a fairly rare one too!

 

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[Iron Patch]

Blacksmiths never look good, as evidenced by no nice looking ones in books.
I see the price is rising nicely on that one, checked my first edition token cat. says 350.oo in F. that was 1988.
You guys having a good fall season.

Yeah it's identifiable and is green, but not chunks of corrosion so is good in my books.

 

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[49r Relics]

An incredible run you guys are on, huge congrats ;-)

 

[Patriot Relics]

That's nuts IP- 4 RPs...and an a naval officer button That's some dirt you've got there. Big congrats

 

[Iron Patch]

An incredible run you guys are on, huge congrats ;-)

It is! And Ironhorse has a good one to post! Guess it's not coming until tomorrow.

 

[CoilFisher]

That is very unique. I am guessing 1700's colonial?
Do tell what is a blacksmith token and the history...never heard of anything like that.

 

[Iron Patch]

That is very unique. I am guessing 1700's colonial?
Do tell what is a blacksmith token and the history...never heard of anything like that.

Here's the basics.

The Mysterious Blacksmith Tokens of North America | NovaNumismatics.com

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Banner for the Blacksmith Token! The buttons are great finds as well, but that token is killer!

 

[nsdq]

WOW

 

[The Rebel]

WTG IP! Love the token! Happy Anniv!

 

[Iron Patch]

Banner for the Blacksmith Token! The buttons are great finds as well, but that token is killer!

Appreciate it, but pretty sure these fly too much under the radar to have a chance.

 

[EasternShoreMetal]

WOW! what a great pile of rounds! That's a very cool hunt, sounds like there can be much more to come from there as well.
I think I remember what it was like to find so many things, I'd forget one to look at others.. hehe.
No, now I can't remember how it feels at all. Waah!
Nice finds, WTG and keep em coming.
I'm stuck remodeling my kitchen after a leak causing mold!
As soon as it's done, I'm back out there. Thanks for peaking my interest until I can.
Congrats.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Here's the basics.

The Mysterious Blacksmith Tokens of North America | NovaNumismatics.com

Thanks for posting that link as I'd never heard of those tokens. And BTW, awesome hunt!!!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Happy anniversary. What a find!! Congrats! You scored!!!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

IP, do you know what the known population of those blacksmith tokens is? I don't recall any others having been posted.

 

[Scrappy]

I loved the blacksmith token link. Never knew of them but being as they were, I have wish more made it back down to the states. Stellar find.

 

[Brian C.]

Nice digs, the black smith tokens are hard to find, well done.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

IP, do you know what the known population of those blacksmith tokens is? I don't recall any others having been posted.

I don't know the exact population of the one IP posted, and internet info is sparse, but to give you some perspective, in a 2007 cat. many say "EXTREMELY RARE". In the case of one with a windmill on it says "fewer than 10 known" (pic. included). So bottom line is they are all pretty rare, and don't often show up even in the auction cats.



In my first edition cat. many say "photo not available"

I'm thinking banner as the first one posted in my recollection, but it's not pretty . voted.

 

[pepperj]

Wonder how many are have been dug and have been blown off as worn out tokens. Detecting with a couple of guys one time in a small town and the owner of a neighbouring home came out and showed us a spot where a little blacksmith shop sat. He told us that the blacksmith had produced tokens also and this information was somehow passed down through the family. We looked around the corner of the two properties but the iron just overwhelmed the machines.
What's neat is that the wide variety of tokens that we have had in circulation, and it makes for interesting finds as this one by IP. It deserves the recognition for the rarity as they're rarer than gold it seems.

 

[Isaac]

Freaking blown away!!! Not even mentioning the "regular" coppers tells you how insane this hunt is!!! From the Rev. War R.P. buttons to the Navy button, and the EXTREMELY scarce blacksmith token... this is the hunt a colonial relic hunter dreams of!!!

... dare I say banner?

 

[Iron Patch]

IP, do you know what the known population of those blacksmith tokens is? I don't recall any others having been posted.

My best guess is about 6 to 8 known. It appears the book starts pricing them at 5 known and the value for this one, which is quite high, I think suggests under 10.