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Unusual Coin Creations

seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

Every once in a while you are at a flea market, a coin shop, or you catch a glimpse of something that was unusually created related to numismatics. I came across such a thing when I saw this dinner plate-sized 1914 Buffalo nickel. Totally weird.

Share your pictures or stories of your "unusual creation" coin-related item you have encountered.

A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    ReadyFireAimReadyFireAim Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That pie crust large cent thing has to take the cake.
    My jaw fell open the first time I saw one.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @23Pairer said:
    Someone spent some time cutting these out..............

    I wonder what tools were used to do that! very unique, thanks for sharing!

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,338 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Pretty cool! What is that made of?

    Collector, occasional seller

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 8, 2019 11:59AM

    @ChrisH821 said:
    Pretty cool! What is that made of?

    Some sort of metal. Kind of like a copper and non-magnetic.

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 8, 2019 12:05PM

    Cutout coin jewelry was popular in the 1970s. Practitioners used tiny files and Dremel-type power tools to do the cutout work. Some dealers had piles of this stuff on display,and a cut out was the common fate of almost badly worn large cent or half cent. Craftsmen charged based on intricacy of the work.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LJenkins11 said:
    Does this qualify as an unusual coin creation? Often referred to as a wishing tree.

    Wow!? What the heck? Does someone use a pocket knife to dig in there just right then stick the coin in? very peculiar! or perhaps while the tree was still living they pressed coins in and it eventually the tree grew over the coins?

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RogerB said:
    Cutout coin jewelry was popular in the 1970s. Practitioners used tiny files and Dremel-type power tools to do the cutout work. Some dealers had piles of this stuff on display,and a cut out was the common fate of almost badly worn large cent or half cent. Craftsmen charged based on intricacy of the work.

    Thanks Roger, I kinda' figured something like that... thanks for the insight!

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    LJenkins11LJenkins11 Posts: 726 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here is a link to a news article regarding them. Appears to be the equivalent of a wishing well only these are hammered into a tree.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036581/Mystery-wishing-trees-studded-coins-illness-away-sick.html

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LJenkins11 said:
    Here is a link to a news article regarding them. Appears to be the equivalent of a wishing well only these are hammered into a tree.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036581/Mystery-wishing-trees-studded-coins-illness-away-sick.html

    A ha!!!

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Glad those tree are already dead? ;)

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @astrorat said:
    Here is the obverse of a double-dime cutout.

    I guess there is no way of knowing whether that was a CC or not? Looks nice as a pendant though.

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    astroratastrorat Posts: 9,221 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @sedulous said:

    @astrorat said:
    Here is the obverse of a double-dime cutout.

    I guess there is no way of knowing whether that was a CC or not? Looks nice as a pendant though.

    Yes ... you can tell. It's an 1875-S, BF-13 die marriage. There is an 8 high in the denticles (below the 8 in the date). It's the only die marriage in the series with this specific misplaced digit. So, no CC.

    Numismatist Ordinaire
    See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cut out coins were popular some years ago, and still are to some extent. We have a major Garlic Festival here (largest in the country) every year and I have seen a booth selling these and actually demonstrating the work several times. So still some demand for them. Cheers, RickO

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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,438 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That wishing tree reminds me of the novel Moby Dick. In front of the entire crew, Captain Ishmael hammered a gold coin into the ship's mast and announced that whoever first spotted the great white whale would get the gold coin.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,438 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 11, 2019 1:30PM

    @RogerB said:
    Cutout coin jewelry was popular in the 1970s. Practitioners used tiny files and Dremel-type power tools to do the cutout work. Some dealers had piles of this stuff on display,and a cut out was the common fate of almost badly worn large cent or half cent. Craftsmen charged based on intricacy of the work.

    I've seen it done. They actually use a jig saw with a very thin saw blade.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

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    RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks for the correction -- yes, small jigsaw blades were used by many. I vaguely recall from the 1970s of seeing husband-wife teams at a table furiously cutting coins in between coin collector customers. Bezels and chains for small gold coins were also popular.

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    1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,772 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 11, 2019 12:13PM

    Tallest Coin Stacking Tower 10,611 coins
    Tallest Coin Stacking Tower With Minimal Coins. Huge tower built by me, 10,611 coins Weighing in at 73 pounds. 7 hours to build crazy One on top of the other

    https://youtu.be/ldmxcbwNxcc

    Editted to add- this was not by me :smile:

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

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    sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1630Boston said:
    Tallest Coin Stacking Tower 10,611 coins
    Tallest Coin Stacking Tower With Minimal Coins. Huge tower built by me, 10,611 coins Weighing in at 73 pounds. 7 hours to build crazy One on top of the other

    https://youtu.be/ldmxcbwNxcc

    Editted to add- this was not by me :smile:

    Wow, too much time on his hands it seems if he is doing that?

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @sellitstore said:

    That is pretty cool. Would love to see the die that created it.

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,674 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've got one of those aluminum rye collapsible shot glasses. I think I dug it up detecting some time ago. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall

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    1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,772 ✭✭✭✭✭

    .

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

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    HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @sellitstore said:

    That made me do a double-take. Pure rye! 🥃

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No sir, can't have the impure stuff I guess.

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Aspie_Rocco said:

    Weird! The question is, why?

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    Aspie_RoccoAspie_Rocco Posts: 3,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Why not? Lol. I did not make them, but I think they are fun novelty. I have another set somewhere with an SBA.

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    SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,886 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1630Boston that's a cool video.
    Since I'm still struggling through post-adolescence I found that to be thoroughly enjoyable.

    Here's my paperweight....

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    WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,875 ✭✭✭✭✭




    My Mom found this somewhere and picked it up for me. Pretty close rendition for lip gloss case from Avon.

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    amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ever wonder where all the Bahamas $2 Flamingo coins went? Years ago I couldn't find enough of them for a cutout guy that told me he used a laser!

    @RogerB said:
    Thanks for the correction -- yes, small jigsaw blades were used by many. I vaguely recall from the 1970s of seeing husband-wife teams at a table furiously cutting coins in between coin collector customers. Bezels and chains for small gold coins were also popular.

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    HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CyStater I have never seen the two top pics before. What is the size of that “coin-tainer”?

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    sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like they were made from British large pennies (not cents). These are about the size of a US half dollar.

    Collector and dealer in obsolete currency. Always buying all obsolete bank notes and scrip.
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    CyStaterCyStater Posts: 681 ✭✭✭

    @Hemispherical said:
    @CyStater I have never seen the two top pics before. What is the size of that “coin-tainer”?

    Two large pennies and a half penny. Full disclosure I made it myself. :)

    The opium coins I purchased out of a collection a few years ago. They are very well made.

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    HemisphericalHemispherical Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CyStater said:

    @Hemispherical said:
    @CyStater I have never seen the two top pics before. What is the size of that “coin-tainer”?

    Two large pennies and a half penny. Full disclosure I made it myself. :)

    The opium coins I purchased out of a collection a few years ago. They are very well made.

    Thats neat! Do you have a vid you can share of the process?

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    CyStaterCyStater Posts: 681 ✭✭✭

    @Hemispherical said:

    @CyStater said:

    @Hemispherical said:
    @CyStater I have never seen the two top pics before. What is the size of that “coin-tainer”?

    Two large pennies and a half penny. Full disclosure I made it myself. :)

    The opium coins I purchased out of a collection a few years ago. They are very well made.

    Thats neat! Do you have a vid you can share of the process?

    Not at the moment. Maybe I will try.

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've seen a very large Capital Plastics Washington quarter "shaped like a head" holder with numerous uncirculated quarters in it. It must have been custom made. I'll have to dig up a picture to show. Have any of you seen oversized, custom Capital Plastics holders out there?

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    KnellKnell Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @aspie_rocco I have those miniature US Coins from Philly Mint as a giveaway when you spend certain amount. I got them at their souvenir store in 2010.

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    Aspie_RoccoAspie_Rocco Posts: 3,259 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Knell said:
    @aspie_rocco I have those miniature US Coins from Philly Mint as a giveaway when you spend certain amount. I got them at their souvenir store in 2010.

    That is cool. The mint made these?

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    KnellKnell Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @asoie_rocco

    Sorry, I thought what I got from USMint is the same miniature coins as posted here. Anyway, here is a sample of what I got from the mint...

    I doubt the mint made this, but cool to have as freebie when you buy something as Philly mint back in 2010. I bought a few things at the Denver mint back in 2016 but no freebie.

    Thanks.

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    KnellKnell Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Aspie_Rocco
    I typo your username in above comments regarding picture of USMint miniature coins. Thanks.

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great thread! Love tokens would suffice in my opinion:

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭



    Compliments of LordM! :smiley:

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    seduloussedulous Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @asheland said:


    Compliments of LordM! :smiley:

    Boy, if only these tokens could talk. Would be great to hear the story related to this love token from the 1830's you think?

    A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Indeed so! They are little works of art.

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    WinLoseWinWinLoseWin Posts: 1,481 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin

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