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May have my oldest find to date...1844 Province of Canada Half Penny Token- New Pictures
kevinstang
Posts: 1,517 ✭✭✭
Nice day, kind of on the cool side so I decided what the heck go out two days in a row and hit the river park area some more. Always head straight for a big old tree these days when I hit a new spot, and it paid off with first signal- a clad quarter. Found a quick $1.50 or so in modern coinage right around the tree and then headed towards the marina area and a point where up till 1959 a ferry ran across the river to Canada. The area is also right in the gunsights of the former British Fort (now Canadian) that kept us Americans on our side of the river 
. Continued to find change here and there including two wheats cents ( a 44 and 56-D), then headed over to one of the typical stone plaques you find in small parks. Looks like a fairly recent one to be installed, and after going nearly completely around it with no signals I got a strong quarter reading and out popped this...
I can make out a date of 1844 and half penny on bottom below what looks to be crossed cannons inside a border with a beaver and maple leaf symbols so I am guessing it is Canadian. The other side is more heavily corroded and looks like maybe has some cement on it, but outline of a building is apparent - its sitting in a spud for now to clean it up some. The area is also the site of the launching of one of the Fenian raids during the 1860's (brief local history on this- bunch of drunken Irish American Civil war veterans decided to take the train north and capture Canada, spend night drinking it up in local taverns bragging about the big event, over estimate current in river and capture windmill on Canadian side downriver instead of Fort). Too bad I didn't get to the area sooner, they are in the process of putting up a new community center virtually on top of where this token was found. Anyways, came up with the group below for day:
Still plenty of the park left to search too, will bring my camera long the next time and take some shots. Anyone seen the token before or any ideas on the origin/age of piece? It looks like one I may have seen somewhere before.
Thanks for the identification help, pulled it out of potato today and was able to scrap a little of the concrete and crud off and confirm that it is indeed a Bank of Montreal issue 1844 Province of Canada half Penny token. Snapped a couple of new photos:
. Continued to find change here and there including two wheats cents ( a 44 and 56-D), then headed over to one of the typical stone plaques you find in small parks. Looks like a fairly recent one to be installed, and after going nearly completely around it with no signals I got a strong quarter reading and out popped this...I can make out a date of 1844 and half penny on bottom below what looks to be crossed cannons inside a border with a beaver and maple leaf symbols so I am guessing it is Canadian. The other side is more heavily corroded and looks like maybe has some cement on it, but outline of a building is apparent - its sitting in a spud for now to clean it up some. The area is also the site of the launching of one of the Fenian raids during the 1860's (brief local history on this- bunch of drunken Irish American Civil war veterans decided to take the train north and capture Canada, spend night drinking it up in local taverns bragging about the big event, over estimate current in river and capture windmill on Canadian side downriver instead of Fort). Too bad I didn't get to the area sooner, they are in the process of putting up a new community center virtually on top of where this token was found. Anyways, came up with the group below for day:
Still plenty of the park left to search too, will bring my camera long the next time and take some shots. Anyone seen the token before or any ideas on the origin/age of piece? It looks like one I may have seen somewhere before.
Thanks for the identification help, pulled it out of potato today and was able to scrap a little of the concrete and crud off and confirm that it is indeed a Bank of Montreal issue 1844 Province of Canada half Penny token. Snapped a couple of new photos:
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That looks like an 1844 Province of Canada Colonial halfpenny.
I think there are a few varieties. I have a holed one like the one for sale here.
Just had to say neat old coin you found there. I'm sorry, but I'm completely oblivious to Canadian coins.