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Encased 1894 Italian 20 Centesimi

UpGrayeddUpGrayedd Posts: 621 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before?


It is an encased 1894 Italian 20 Centesimi. The encasement is plain, and I'm unsure of its composition. I also can't say that the encasement is contemporary, but based on the patina I assume that it has been on there a long time.

Does anyone have any idea why this might have been done? Did it serve some purpose or was someone just bored in "shop class"?

Philippians 4:4-7

Comments

  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 2,220 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In some cultures, using coins at the base of cups or bowls is commonly done. Haven't seen anything like it from Italy before.

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  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,379 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Possible use as a casino chip?

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,020 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Espresso cups are small, maybe a saucer?

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  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,572 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 12, 2023 6:21PM

    Very interesting. With the color similarity between the coin and the encasement, if you’d have told us it was some kind of die trial on an oversized planchet, I might have believed you.

    I do think that patina indicates it’s been in there a long time, and is likely contemporary.


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  • angelo43angelo43 Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    I have seen it before and it is a coin encased in a metal ring for what reason I can't remember. I have seen 1860's copper in these

  • UpGrayeddUpGrayedd Posts: 621 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's been a long week, but I finally had time to dig this out and examine it some more. I'm still not sure what I have or why it was made, but I do believe that it is an encasement not a trial strike, etc. based on the metal overlap seen on the reverse.

    The coin itself is supposed to weigh 4.0 grams (at least in unc. condition) with a diameter of 21 mm.

    The coin and encasement weigh 14.43 grams with a diameter of 36 mm.

    I am still not sure of the metal composition, but it is not magnetic.

    Philippians 4:4-7

  • ELuisELuis Posts: 1,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Maybe it is a vintage florentine disc or flat dish with a coin on the center, I have seen something similar in Florence Italy.
    Similar to this:

  • ELuisELuis Posts: 1,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    and btw the image i posted it is from a non flat dish, that happens that also it is now posted on the BST
    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1086597/fs-italy-coronation-medal-mariana-anna-augusta-ferdinand-i

  • angelo43angelo43 Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    It's definitely not a trial strike. I just sold the Meduno collection at HA.com last week and can tell you it's not in Pagani or Montenegro or any other prova books of Italy

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