Can someone identify this British coin? ---1819 Half Crown struck in brass???

HTubbs

Disclaimer-I have very limited knowledge of post-1800 British coins:

My first thought was a half crown...but it's not silver.

ajaan

I don't think it is an authentic coin.

IloiloKano

<< <i>I don't think it is an authentic coin. >>

I like it though.

HTubbs

I find it quite strange that someone would make a brass counterfeit of a silver coin? Seems like that wouldn't work too well...

zeebob

Maybe a gaming token of some kind?

cwt

I believe that this is a contemporary counterfeit which may have once had silver plating to help it pass muster. Still a highly collectible coin. You may find other examples of these on ebay from time to time.

StubbyMcNumbthumbs

Looks like evidence of an old silver plating around the obverse devices.

Cool!

Hussulo

CWT beat me to it. Contemporary counterfeit which would have been silver plated to be illegally used.
Not a pattern or a trial.

SaorAlba

<< <i>CWT beat me to it. Contemporary counterfeit which would have been silver plated to be illegally used.
Not a pattern or a trial. >>



But there are the "fringe" of us that love that stuff, I would rather have a contemporary counterfeit of a coin from that era than the real thing.

With some of my Scottish coinage, the counterfeits, particularly those circulating during the Mary and James VI era are more desirable than the authentic coins, because they are famously known and caused great call ins, and recoinages and are very scarce as a result. Some issued during the reign of Mary were infamously made by French troops stationed in Scotland during the era of the Auld Alliance.

HTubbs

I honestly didn't even think of it being a contemporary counterfeit, but now that you mention it I see the remains of the silver plating. Before I just thought it was ugly toning...interesting.