Who has recovered "dished" or concave/convex coins? Why was it done?

[steelheadwill]

Been Wondered since I found my first, was an 1896 Guatemala 1/4 reale, one of histories smallest coins, believe it was 11mm.
Deeply dished, how it was accomplished eludes me.
i know of at least one other I've found, and think I may actually have four, not randomly bent either, somehow almost perfectly dished to an obvious extent.
Will post pix when I get on the mainframe.
look forward to hearing about others experience. HH all.

 

[diggummup]

Years ago in an old dilapidated house, I found several eyeball finds. Slightly concave. Part of a bracelet, I would imagine. Never actually dug any though.

 

[against the wind]

Pictures might help explain it.

 

[Bramblefind]

I have these - larger copper coins and not dug. I picked them up somewhere years ago. I assumed it was some kind of boredom type project without any real purpose. But I don't know.

 

[Argentium]

It has been very common to make buttons and decorative conchas for belts from coins for quite some time.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Like Argentium explains, I've seen these "dished" coins made into necklaces and bracelets on ebay...if I could get some cheap, I'd take them off and mash'em flat again lol...Ddf

 

[Carolina Tom]

If the coin has holes in it, it was part of a piece of jewelry. I've seen silver coin bracelets made of domed coins.

Goggle: domed coin bracelet.

Please show us a pic.

 

[kenstein]

Interesting topic. I'm tagging so I can get back to it. I can post a pic of the tool to do this if anyone is interested.

 

[Duckshot]

Didn't a pope at some time use a dished out gold coin as a shot glass for the Eucharist ritual?

 

[BigWaveDave]

I got a couple of “dished” coins I picked up in a junk bag from my LC.... but never dug one.
I did one time dig about 20 wheats, all with the rims cut off evenly.....strange.
Those are my mini-wheats.

 

[Mackaydon]

Interesting, but PMD.
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces8119.html
Don......

 

[coinman123]

Some of these old silvers are so thin I feel like I could easily bend them with my fingers.

 

[Goldfinger450]

A "Dapping" block is used to dish them out, looks like a mortar and Pestle .

 

[steelheadwill]

Thanks all,
ill get a pic of the 1/4real up shortly

 

[steelheadwill]

Here's pix from op when 1/4 real was posted, sheesh I found a pile of goodies that day,
pix of coin didn't show until most of way down page in op, check it out.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/364533-new-coastal-area-gives-up-some-goodies.html

 

[steelheadwill]

 

[Mackaydon]

steelheadwill,
You asked: Why was it done? Several theories have been suggested: (1) Flat coins were 'pure', cupped coins were alloyed. (2) Cupped coins were harder to counterfeit;and (3) Most likely IMO, they were cupped to make them strong enough to resist bending and breakage.(Think of an eggshell.)
Don.........
PS: I'm referring to cupped coins from many centuries ago, not current coins for collectors--like certain baseball coins.

 

[snaps]

dug a dished buffalo once an was always wondering. thanks guys

 

[RustyGold]

When I was a Silversmith I domed coins for buttons quite a number of times.

 

[Pacific_Searcher]

I have a dished merc dime that was made into a button. Not sure where I got it had it for years.