The Strangest Connecticut Copper I've Seen

[paleomaxx]

I only had time for a short hunt today so I revisited a previous site where I had found all of the early coppers grouped together. I had a hunch that I missed a few things and indeed I found four more buttons and one copper. Initially I thought I had found my first cartwheel penny, but after cleaning it up it was clear that wasn't the case. The bust is left facing and it's incredibly thick (2mm), but some light cleaning revealed it wasn't a KG II, but a Connecticut Copper.



There's not much detail around the date, but I believe it's an 1787. What's odd is that the strike is somewhat recessed (but not tremendously) into the copper and the coin itself is much thicker than the other coppers of the day.



Maybe a quality control issue where a planchette of the wrong thickness made it's way between the dies. Definitely a first for me and to find only one coin and have it be a state copper is a great day!

 

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[Phishfindr]

That coins is sweet, and well fed! Congrats!!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Nice one with great detail!

I found a classic head LC that's similar. Someone hammered on the rim lightly around and around to make it fatter... Probably board and was just messing around.

 

[Louisiana Ken]

Nice neat find!!!!! Maybe it was an attempt to making a coin ring.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Very nice copper!

 

[pepperj]

Nice copper, is the weight and diameter close.
Almost looks like it's been hammered on the edges.
Very cool recovery, congrats.

 

[smokeythecat]

It's a very nice coin for sure. Think it was messed with or a contemporary counterfeit? The counterfeits are worth more than the originals.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Cool old copper, congratulations!

 

[paleomaxx]

Nice copper, is the weight and diameter close.
Almost looks like it's been hammered on the edges.
Very cool recovery, congrats.

Thank you! It might have been hammered, but if so they did an amazing job. The edge is a very even circle without any flat spots from hammer blows so they may have hammered it and then smoothed the edge. I'll see if I can get an accurate weight to see how much material has been lost (or if it's overweight).

 

[Scrappy]

OutdoorAdv nailed it. They would roll and scallop the edges sometimes, when they weren’t playing on the internet. Lol.

Nice find

 

[MadTom]

Pretty nice. Never seen one that fat

 

[Evolution]

Thank you! It might have been hammered, but if so they did an amazing job. The edge is a very even circle without any flat spots from hammer blows so they may have hammered it and then smoothed the edge. I'll see if I can get an accurate weight to see how much material has been lost (or if it's overweight).

Pretty sure they didn't always use hammers when they did that to coins. Sometimes they just patiently tapped around the edge of the coins with a spoon or other similar object. This allowed them to control the shape better. It obviously took a lot longer doing it with a spoon though. Nice find.

 

[l.cutler]

It has definitely been hammered or spooned around the edges, Connecticut coppers did not have a raised edge. Counterfeits were usually lightweight for more profit from less material. After the copper panic of 1789, the coppers were virtually worthless, and many were altered and put to various other uses such as buttons, clock gears, toy buzzers, you name it.

 

[Ahab8]

Nice altered copper. These people had a lot less to do than us. I’m guessing in the winter especially. This is a Mass cent I found that somebody scalloped the edge on.

 

[CRUSADER]

Nice altered copper. These people had a lot less to do than us. I’m guessing in the winter especially. This is a Mass cent I found that somebody scalloped the edge on.
View attachment 1554848

Yeap, I beat they invited their mates around for a bit of festive coin bashing....lol

 

[Ahab8]

Yeap, I beat they invited their mates around for a bit of festive coin bashing....lol

Haha “hey Johnny you hold it....I’ll hit it!”

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Sheesk, colonial coppers in every east coast sand box. Sick sick sick

 

[Ahab8]

Sheesk, colonial coppers in every east coast sand box. Sick sick sick

Unfortunately I can’t dig in my east coast sand box buddy. But we are getting close

 

[Relicific]

That’s an interesting copper

 

[washingtonian]

Huh, that is interesting. The things a bored colonial would do to pass the time...

Great find!