Tried cleaning Sanddiggers possible hammered coin

[Bill D. (VA)]

Tried cleaning Sanddigger's possible hammered coin

I first tried lemon juice as suggested by IP, but it didn't faze it. Then tried some aluminum jelly which didn't help either. Ended up doing some electrolysis and at least I made some progress. Still looks pretty bad but some of the details are showing up a little better, although I don't believe its enough to get a positive ID. Even though it does resemble a small hammered coin, the cheap, flaky materials used to produce it make it more likely to be a billon coin or possibly some cheap token. Still a cool find that helps to validate the age of this site.

 

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[ModernMiner]

Well Bill, at least you tried your best. Still a sweet find.
-Doug-

 

[pepperj]

Kind of fasinatiing the find is Bill, and what its intended value was in the day.
I can imagine a person trying to pass off the copy and the merchant breaking it and half and tossing it aside.
This one coin might of ment the difference between being fed or going hungry for that person.

 

[CRUSADER]

I agree with IP, if its not a counterfiet it is billion/debased silver. I can see a little more but this only reinforces that its NOT British. Some of the swirls remind me of arabic type coins, but its not a strong lead.

 

[Iron Patch]

I wouldn't think token because a silver plated hammered token would be a bit of an odd thing, and it certainly does not look modern. The problem is there's probably far more possibilities for billon than most people realize because many places produced them over several hundreds of years.

 

[timekiller]

Looks like the bottom of a old irish coin to me.For what it's worth. Looks like I see the shield.
Irish Coins -- Jamestown Rediscovery