Can anyone identify this coin/button? Confederate?
EdHayes
Posts: 39 ✭✭
About the size and weight of a U.S. Seated Liberty Dime-- but this is clearly not a U.S. Seated Dime. A couple of people say this is a button though it's not concave like many buttons. True, on the reverse there is a shadow shape which might have been a shank at one time. But I also wonder if it could be some kind of U.S. trial coin-- maybe even a Confederate coin trial? Though silver looking I haven't tested to see if it's actually silver.
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Here are the images:
Almost definitely not a trial strike. It is too crudely engraved. I think button is likely correct. It could also just be an emblem from a chest or something which has been removed.
Occam's razor.
Never thought of an emblem piece. Just seems if it were a button it would be identifiable as the design on this is pretty striking. Then again maybe it was such a special button (like those early diplomatic buttons) that few were made. And there's one bizarre element about this piece that i didn't bring up earlier: there actually appears to be a FACE profile pressed into the neck/shoulder area of Miss Liberty!
It is in very poor condition... and does not resemble any coin or token (and there are thousands) that I know of....I see nothing that would give a clue to it's origin. Cheers, RickO
Where did you find it?
I bought it on ebay--unidentified. I figure it MUST be U.S. in origin (Seated liberty, U.S. shield) but maybe I'm wrong? All I can conclude at this point is that it's so unique as to be rare beyond belief!
Just remember, rare doesn't always = valuable
Possibly a button or ornamentation, iMO. I recall seeing something with a coin-like object that came from a horse bridle. I really don't know what it is but it isn't a coin
My dog dropped a pile that looks like Gandhi. Would you like to add it to your collection of "rare"? Shipping is free.
jmlanzaf, If you're selling dog poop online, that's your affair-- I'll stick to my rare pattern coin/token or never-identified rare Civil War era button!
It certainly looks to me like a button with the shank broken off and planed down
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Similar to an English Farthing of old but wrong shield, stars, etc. But, that leans me to a coin from somewhere....might post over on the world coin forum.
bob
If it is "never-identified" can I then assume that you didn't find it in "Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons" by Alphaeus H. Albert which would be the first place to look? That work is the standard catalog in this field of collecting -- If you don't have a copy there are several available on Amazon as it is out of print (but still essential).
Ah, sounds like a good reference (Record of American Uniform....etc). Have to see if I can track that down.
I don't know what it is but I like it.