Jaichim24
Sr. Member
Woods Hunt:Rare 200 yr old Canadian Token, all the way down in sunny Connecticut!
Yesterday I decided to go exploring in some state forest area that was near some older home sites. Overall it was a tough day. Normally in Connecticut you can count 1 old brass shotgun shell every 10 minutes or so. Well unfortunately in this area they must be stocking as I personally dug 15+ new shotgun shells with the plastic case, and walked past probably another 30 still on the surface. I've never seen so much hunting trash. I was muttering some choice words under my breath by the end of the day. The new shotgun shells with what appears to be stainless steel bases, give off a scratchy signal that sounds like a deep "keeper". My irritation rose as the day went on as I'd uncover shell after shell.
The day however was not a total loss thanks to the mountain bikers who had rode enough to create a depressed trail throughout the woods. I was following it around getting into other areas casually swinging my coil back and forth. At one point I got a really nice hit just to the side of the trail. It was bouncing between 12-46 and 13-45. It was shallow, so I was thinking a clad quarter. Once I cut the plug and started pin-pointing with my X-1 it held firm at 12-45. Not normally a good sign in my experience. I often uncover some sort of aluminum tag with that reading.
Not expecting much more than junk or a clad quarter, I was a bit shocked when a large cent sized coin popped out.
I could see a left facing bust on one side, and that familiar lady with the shield on the back. I was thinking some sort of British half penny. Then I dipped it in a water container and saw the word "Broke" on the front. At that point I was sure I had found some sort of Hard Times token. One that I had not seen before.
Well, when I finally got it home and cleaned it off, I saw that date and was a bit confused at how old it was, 1814. That really didn't fit into the hard time token period.
So a short while later google images had me an answer.
The front reads: BROKE HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA
The back reads: BRITANIA 1814
This apparently is a halfpenny token commemorating the capture of the USS Chesapeake in 1813. (probably related to the war of 1812?) Broke did not stand for lack of money, but rather Sir Philip Bowes Vere Broke or Captain Broke!!
I found a really cool website with a nice write up on the token:
Dumpdiggers: Broke tokens from 1814, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Here is an excerpt from it:
When the HMS Shannon sailed into Halifax harbour on June 6th 1813 with the 38 gun warship USS Chesapeake in tow, it was a proud moment for every sailor in the British Navy. History records that this American prize was sold in Halifax in 1814 to agents of the Royal Navy, and Captain Broke and his crew received handsome bonuses.
As an American I'm very aware of what we celebrate and commemorate, it's interesting to see the other side of the "coin"!
Anyway, enjoy the pics, one of the cooler finds this year for me, and the 2nd foreign token I found this month, very very odd!!
Yesterday I decided to go exploring in some state forest area that was near some older home sites. Overall it was a tough day. Normally in Connecticut you can count 1 old brass shotgun shell every 10 minutes or so. Well unfortunately in this area they must be stocking as I personally dug 15+ new shotgun shells with the plastic case, and walked past probably another 30 still on the surface. I've never seen so much hunting trash. I was muttering some choice words under my breath by the end of the day. The new shotgun shells with what appears to be stainless steel bases, give off a scratchy signal that sounds like a deep "keeper". My irritation rose as the day went on as I'd uncover shell after shell.
The day however was not a total loss thanks to the mountain bikers who had rode enough to create a depressed trail throughout the woods. I was following it around getting into other areas casually swinging my coil back and forth. At one point I got a really nice hit just to the side of the trail. It was bouncing between 12-46 and 13-45. It was shallow, so I was thinking a clad quarter. Once I cut the plug and started pin-pointing with my X-1 it held firm at 12-45. Not normally a good sign in my experience. I often uncover some sort of aluminum tag with that reading.
Not expecting much more than junk or a clad quarter, I was a bit shocked when a large cent sized coin popped out.
I could see a left facing bust on one side, and that familiar lady with the shield on the back. I was thinking some sort of British half penny. Then I dipped it in a water container and saw the word "Broke" on the front. At that point I was sure I had found some sort of Hard Times token. One that I had not seen before.
Well, when I finally got it home and cleaned it off, I saw that date and was a bit confused at how old it was, 1814. That really didn't fit into the hard time token period.
So a short while later google images had me an answer.
The front reads: BROKE HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA
The back reads: BRITANIA 1814
This apparently is a halfpenny token commemorating the capture of the USS Chesapeake in 1813. (probably related to the war of 1812?) Broke did not stand for lack of money, but rather Sir Philip Bowes Vere Broke or Captain Broke!!
I found a really cool website with a nice write up on the token:
Dumpdiggers: Broke tokens from 1814, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Here is an excerpt from it:
When the HMS Shannon sailed into Halifax harbour on June 6th 1813 with the 38 gun warship USS Chesapeake in tow, it was a proud moment for every sailor in the British Navy. History records that this American prize was sold in Halifax in 1814 to agents of the Royal Navy, and Captain Broke and his crew received handsome bonuses.
As an American I'm very aware of what we celebrate and commemorate, it's interesting to see the other side of the "coin"!
Anyway, enjoy the pics, one of the cooler finds this year for me, and the 2nd foreign token I found this month, very very odd!!
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