Encased coins (and a mystery)
dcarr
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One of the things I collect is encased coins (especially encased silver dollars and any coins encased in any metal other than aluminum).
At the recent Colorado Springs coin show I found these to add to my collection.
The two gear-like encased cents appear to be some sort of tool, but what they are for is a mystery to me:
Also found this encased [neutron irradiated] 1917 dime which is the earliest type before wording was added on the cardboard ring around the coin:
This one seemed interesting - an 1835 Capped Bust silver dime in an 1848 Braided Hair copper large cent:
My favorite of the bunch is this 1921 Morgan silver dollar in a heavy stainless steel encasement for the Silver (25th) Anniversary of the Retail Merchants Association in 1946. The date on the coin is fitting since 1946 is 25 years after 1921.
Comments
Wow, "cool" !!!
Spark plug gapper?
Screw drivers? VERY cool stuff Dan.
I thought of those, but all the small prongs are exactly the same size and thickness. If it were a tool for those applications, it would have varying sizes and/or thicknesses.
I have always liked irradiated dimes. I've never seen one without the wording.
I don't know what the "tool" is for. My guess though, would be that it serves some sort of purpose for the owner of a common car model of the early 20th century. I'd guess Model T Ford (they accounted for as much of 60% of the US car market by the late teens) but the 1907 Indian cent throws me off a bit since that model didn't enter production until 1908.
Neat items Dan... seems that show was productive for you.... Cheers, RickO
Haven't seen anything encased other than pennies - very cool!
Those are real nice..I have never seen items like that before.
I wonder if they are not a tool to add lines to a sheet of paper. By using two pencils in the holes and rotating to a certain point the distance between the lines can be varied. The holes in the device are equally spaced radially, and larger cog on the outer edge could simply be used as a marker?
They remind me of a test gauge used on saw blades. I have seen this tool before.
maybe came out of some sort lock and coin just happ
en to fit ?
Could not wait for you to solve the mystery
Thank you for sharing your latest......
The cent/dime is really neat-my favorite!
Very good show for you and your collection. Nice pickups.
You dog! I've been looking for one of those blank irradiated dimes for over a decade and you scoop one up along with all those other neat items.
I agree with @1940coupe - those cents appear to be in a piece of some type of lock mechanism.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
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Never saw a blank irradiated dime either.
I actually bought two of them together (only pictured one). I've seen about 6 or 7 in total and I have 3 or 4 now (I'd have to check). They are hard to find because the sellers of them don't usually know to list them with the important keywords ("Atomic", "Neutron", "Irradiated", etc.).
That seems like the most plausible scenario that I have seen so far.
Is it possible that the toothed cent holders were made for some mechanical purpose that just happened to call for a 3/4 inch hole in the middle, and that somebody just happened to notice that cents fit in that hole perfectly?
There was a post awhile back of a mercury dime encased in a wine bottle.
HAPPY COLLECTING
Have you asked Charmy if she has seen that toothed piece before?
No. I was thinking maybe she would view this thread at some point. Maybe should send a PM.
It may be that these are not really "old" at all but were made recently to appeal to the market for encased coins.
Try checking with a locksmith
I don't know what they are supposed to represent or if they were originally advertisement, but they definitely look cool.
Thanks for sharing them.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
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Nice!! Here's my only encased coin(s)
Way kewl!
@jwitten ...Now that is super unique.... and the first I have seen.... Cheers, RickO
A couple of other examples are pictured about 3/4 of the way down this thread from about three months ago:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/996634/irradiated-dimes-what-are-they-and-are-they-collectible-photos-updated#latest
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The 1919 cent looks like it was carried as a pocket piece due to wear at edge while the 1907 looks to be "higher grade"?
The 1919 coin shows less wear than the 1907 suggesting that these were probably made at the same time.
Could be part of a lock but also could be a small spacer/plate used in a variety of larger machines in which a cent just fit perfectly, so someone made a few "souvenirs".
Hate to beak it to the one-off advocates for the gear encased penny... here's another from Chicago. Note the penny is a 1920 D. A 1919 and a 1920 from a separate source, something going on here. Any more ideas?
I know it isn't one, but it reminds me of a spark plug gapper.
The originally posted gear thing outline reminds me of shape of a fraternal or union type pin I've seen or maybe dug, but cannot recall. Perhaps there were outer layers of material now missing that were held by the three holes?
The second posted gear thingy seems to debunk that theory, unless there was an adhered layer (with words etc) that is now lost.
First thing that came to mind is part of a lock mechanism. Maybe the shaft for the mechanism was coincidentally the same diameter of a cent?
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11¢
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Might be a BLANK Locksmith token/Calling card
Steve
I was thinking along those lines. If this is a calling card or souvenir it should have writing on it. It does not on 3 different examples! And this is somewhat rare.. so to have a thread with 3 blank examples?
That does not make sense. The blank ones should be harder to find then a calling card example.
So that leaves me thinking the shape of the "gear" was meant to be pushed into something which contained the writing or labeling. The wider tooth would snap in holding it in place. Notice how it extends out slightly more then the other teeth. The holes in the "gear" could have been used for alignment purposes. But the third example has no holes.
spark plug gapper
Worked in a sign shop as a kid. Before electronic switches, flashing signs used a mechanical flasher using a points and cam system (similar to the pre-electronic auto spark distributor). You adjusted the flash rate by increasing the number of cams (nubs) in the rotating disk. Something like this would have several short flashes followed by a longer flash. They would be in a bank of 4-10 circuits or so, each connected to a separate group of lights. When shifted out of sync, it would create the illusion of running lights. The disks were replaceable and arbor hole could easily be drilled out to fit anything -- like a coin.
Pulled this Signatrol unit pic off eBay (sold for $200).
The gaps vary somewhat in size. That should be a hint but I'm not sure what it means.
Cleaned and greased many wheel bearings... way back when. That looks like a wheel bearing lock washer. Tough part is what car? The date of the coins and internal diameter of the opening would help.
But I am completely done with grease packing wheel bearings.
My first thought (before seeing how old the thread is!) was a lock ring from a bicycle bottom bracket. The holes are grease ports. Whether car, bicycle, or what, no clue.
Edit: actually I think the holes are for a spanner tool.
Forgot to put @Insider2 ‘s notice.
Old thread alert
I’m going with old spark plug / point setter tool lots of automotive company’s used them for advertising
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/publishedset/209923
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/album/209923
@dcarr said: "One of the things I collect is encased coins (especially encased silver dollars and any coins encased in any metal other than aluminum)."
Why not make a neat one for your personal collection for all of us to enjoy too!
IMO, the OP's pieces are NOT for gaping plugs. The nubs all look the same thickness.
another on ebay!
Not a spark plug gapper, the “teeth” are too thick and seem to be the same size.
Still think it’s part of a wheel bearing assembly for a small diameter axle. Motorcycle? Heck might not be a motor vehicle but something thats rotates around an axle/rod. Another term is a spindle washer.
Example.
Wheel bearings packing ‘em with hi-temp grease:
New cars and truck have sealed bearings, so the fun is over, just replace ‘em via DIY or mechanic.
Don’t know. Going back to coins. Much less greasy.
The one thing all these pieces have in common is the tooth spacing. They are not even. That must be a clue and why it is not a spindle washer? Why would a spindle washer have uneven tooth spacing?
I have no idea why but I have spent a couple of hours googling trying to figure this out and failed. About the only idea I have left is to email encased coin specialists who run websites discussing these items.