What does this engraved half dollar say ?

DNADave

It was hard to wait for this auction to close. But what do you think this says?

RogerB

This might help...

RogerB

"A cupboard a barrel of whiskey" ?

Hemispherical

@DNADave said:
It was hard to wait for this auction to close. But what do you think this says?

Coming back to this... intriguing.

...A lonesome dove... pigeon, bird...

...Of whiskey...

...barrel...

...kettle, pot, pitcher, mug..

...vines...

It’s Monday... to early in the week for this.

————— Doodles

Kettle a bird in a barrel of whis key...
Catch a bird in a barrel of whiskey

Pitch a bird in a barrel full of whiskey

DNADave

@RogerB said:
"A cupboard a barrel of whiskey" ?

That’s what it looks like to me as well. But that doesn’t make a lot o sense. I thought maybe it was something more clever

TommyType

Maybe we're thinking too hard.

AA = Alcoholics Anonymous?
Whis-key / Barrel = The problem?
Bird or Dove = Freedom?

I'd like to read it as a rebus as well...but haven't gotten any further than the rest of you....

RogerB

Is the half dollar dated? Maybe the bird is meant to be a specific type? What are other names for the cup or tankard?

I'll ask Romulus if the whiskey belongs to his brother "Rebus."

DNADave

@RogerB said:
Is the half dollar dated? Maybe the bird is meant to be a specific type? What are other names for the cup or tankard?

I'll ask Romulus if the whiskey belongs to his brother "Rebus."

It was an “O” mint seated half. Engraved on the obverse.
I thought it was a dove. Maybe

And maybe a pint, cup, tin, pitcher?

davewesen

I was looking for old brands to see if it could be advertising of some kind, no luck

picture a cuckoo barrel of whiskey

TommyType

Is it a dove?

"Drink-A-dove-A-Barrel-Of Whis-key"

Drink above a barrel of whiskey?? Does that make any sense? (No...It doesn't....)

ricko

I believe the answer would be
'Drink A Beaker Atop a Barrel of Whiskey'
The Beaker (bird representing a measure of drink is also on top of the barrel)being the size of the drink. Cheers, RickO

themaster

Picture a pig in a barrel of whiskey.

Have a Great Day!
Louis

davewesen

Picture a bird over a barrel of whiskey

Intueor

"Picture above a barrel of whiskey."
Possible referring to the obverse.
What is on the obverse? If it is "Walking Liberty" or Franklin maybe it is an anti-temperance token used in a "Speakeasy".
It was well known that Franklin enjoyed his "cups".
Prohibition prevented the sale of alcohol, not consumption.

MrLee

I found this.

Aspie_Rocco

Is the bird in question a Swallow?

A swallow of whiskey?
A cup before a swallow of whiskey?

Aotearoa

Picture a dove above a barrel of whiskey?

TommyType

@Aspie_Rocco said:
Is the bird in question a Swallow?

A swallow of whiskey?
A cup before a swallow of whiskey?

I think you're onto something:

If that pesky second "A" wasn't there: "Drink A Swallow (A) Of Whis-key"

Well....swallow makes more sense than dove, anyway.

topstuf

A pot dove a barrel of whiskey
A part of a barrel of whiskey

Aspie_Rocco

@TommyType said:

@Aspie_Rocco said:
Is the bird in question a Swallow?

A swallow of whiskey?
A cup before a swallow of whiskey?

I think you're onto something:

If that pesky second "A" wasn't there: "Drink A Swallow (A) Of Whis-key"

Well....swallow makes more sense than dove, anyway.

I think the first A is for the play on
“before a...”
milk before A swallow A barrel (cask) of whiskey?

Can a swallow a barrel (cask) of whiskey?

Hydrant

Diagnosis; The person who engraved the coin suffered from a type of dyslexia known as dysgraphia. He was most likely an alcoholic. The engraving says.... "A CUP OF WHISKEY." No more no less........AS IN......HERE LIES LES MOORE, SHOT BY A 44. NO LES NO MORE.

People had a sense of humor back in those days. And the eccentric was common. Don't try to make more out of it than there is. A CUP OF WHISKEY. What could be more simple? Bottoms Up!

jedm

A -tankard- dove -a- barrel- of whiskey. A tankard of a barrel of whiskey.....??

Goldminers

I think Ricko 's version seems close. I was wondering if it could be related to the Whiskey rebellion which was a really unpopular tax on whiskey to help pay for the Revolutionary war and may have had some freedom (freebird?) code engraving later during seated liberty half dollar era? Like freedom to drink a keg a whiskey?

Hemispherical

Have one on the house.

🥃🍺🍸🍷☕️🥛🍼

PipestonePete

"Sip (leads to) A Swallow (leads to) A Barrel Of Whiskey" ?

Outhaul

It says, "If found, please return to @Outhaul "

TennesseeDave

A cup of peace in a barrel of whiskey

Namvet69

Is the other side blank? Me thinks it's an Alcoholics Anonymous token of freedom from drink, that being whis key. Peace Roy

DNADave

thebeav

I have to believe that the person who engraved this probably never thought, "150 years from now people will try to figure out what this means".....

Treashunt

I don't know what it means, but I like it

ricko

Wow... all the great minds on this forum, and still no 'slam dunk' conclusion to this love token mystery.....Cheers, RickO

Hemispherical

Swallow a decantar from a barrel of whiskey.

Decantor a swallow of whiskey from a barrel. The path kind of forms the letter ‘Z’.

habaraca

Kind of related not my auction just an example

"Just a Thimble full a day"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Sterling-Silver-Just-a-Thimble-Full-Jigger-Shot-Glass-by-Towle-82/163576995108?hash=item2615f2dd24:g:FQcAAOSwwXRcfEmb

JBK

Drink a swallow, a barrel of whiskey?

kbbpll

I associate a tankard with beer, and the dove clutching an olive branch as "peace", so I arrive at:
"Beer apiece, a barrel of whiskey"
or maybe straight up "Tankard apiece, a barrel of whiskey". Some kind of old drinking expression or toast? Google yields nothing.

JBK

Maybe we're getting closer. If it is old enough then they might have said ale instead of beer....

Ale (I'll?) a swallow a barrel of whiskey.

Hemispherical

If this was made by the person drinking the whiskey we probably will never get it.

Need to be in that “frame” of mind.

RogerB

Well, have a "snort" and see if it kicks !

1630Boston

Old English Synonyms: for bird:

bird ; poultry ; brill ; bit of skirt ; chick ; baby ; doll ; dame ; shuttle ; birdie ; shuttlecock ; raspberry ; boo ; snort ; hoot ; hiss ; razzing ; Bronx cheer ; razz ; fowl ; skirt ; wench
bird ; birdwatch

davewesen

maybe it is a map where the engraver buried his gold

JBK

Beer, a bird (girl), a barrel of whiskey.

gonzer

Not many folks from San Juan Capistrano it seems. Definitely NOT a swallow.

carabonnair

The word "tun" for barrel is sometimes used in rebuses.

Hemispherical

Pitch a pigeon upon a “tun” of whiskey

Musky1011

A pitcher of whiskey

TommyType

@JBK said:
Beer, a bird (girl), a barrel of whiskey.

Best guess I've seen so far! (At least it makes some sense. )

DBSTrader2

I think the "pitcher" is also known as a "Ewer".

If so, I would read it to say something like "Ewer (you are) A (Dove over a barrell?) of Whiskey"?

I'm stumped.

LJenkins11

This is a great thread.

Pour a bird a barrel of whiskey?

ifthevamzarockin

Whatever is says it has been driving me crazy ever since you posted it.

messydesk

@1630Boston said:
Old English Synonyms: for bird:

bird ; poultry ; brill ; bit of skirt ; chick ; baby ; doll ; dame ; shuttle ; birdie ; shuttlecock ; raspberry ; boo ; snort ; hoot ; hiss ; razzing ; Bronx cheer ; razz ; fowl ; skirt ; wench
bird ; birdwatch

Interesting. So is this synonym contemporary with "snort" also meaning a drink of an adult beverage?