Just got photos of my new "PIE CUTTER" Large Cent!

ThePennyLady

I picked this up from Ron Sirna at Long Beach so I just had to have Todd photograph this unique "coin" for me. I don't have the handle that was needed to use this to cut the pastry, but here is an example of what one would have looked like: Pie Cutter

Anyone seen or have any of these?

MidLifeCrisis

I've never seen anything like that before. Very cool.

MrSpud

That looks cool. I've seen pictures before, never saw an actual one though.

relicsncoins

This was a fairly common practice during the Civil War, and several examples finished and partially finished have been found in Civil War camps. These were made as replacement rowels for spurs when a spur would lose its rowel.

robkool

Very kool...

ColonialCoinUnion

That must have taken a while to make.

notwilight

<< <i>That must have taken a while to make. >>



This was back when time was much more available than money (for example, my father used to whittle pliers out of wood, for fun). When I was a kid on the farm we would spend hours making something that we could buy for a few $ if we had more money. So as I got older I accumulated tools to make almost anything I wanted (including a pretty good machine shop). Now I find that I have much more money than time....

HoledandCreative

I have 1804 and 1805 gears(much smaller teeth) and these possible "pie cutters"

lordmarcovan

Yep. I had one. Picked it up in a bulk bin at the Macon, GA show in January of '08. Think it cost me somewhere between four and six bucks. I either sold it here or passed it along to savoyspecial- can't remember which.

There are also coins like this with two holes in the middle, like a button would have, but with the same serrated/scalloped edge. I've read that these were "buzzers", a child's toy that was designed to twirl around with the string held in two hands, creating a buzzing sound.

As a detectorist, I've heard of quite a few lucky diggers finding these on 19th century and colonial sites (with the colonial ones being made from King George coppers).

Naturally, as a holey coin guy like the previous respondent, I've come across them periodically in my search for interesting holeys.

Cool piece.

ArizonaJack

Very, very cool Charmy :-)

PerryHall

Hypothetically, would PCGS slab these in their genuine holders? Not that anyone would bother to do so. All are neat pieces of early americana.

ricko

As LordM stated, I have seen these displayed on Metal Detecting forums, usually in the 'what is it' category. Obviously it was a coin, the question was 'why was it edged like that'. Cheers, RickO

notwilight

<< <i>Hypothetically, would PCGS slab these in their genuine holders? Not that anyone would bother to do so. All are neat pieces of early americana. >>



I would think so--giving new meaning to the word "tooled"--these cents were made into tools. --Jerry

messydesk

I don't think PCGS would holder it with the hole.

PerryHall

<< <i>I don't think PCGS would holder it with the hole. >>



They holder holed coins and the defect listed on the label but without a grade.

messydesk

I know holed coins that have been plugged are now holdered (they weren't at the beginning of the program), but thought that a holed coin, or one with other large scale mutilation, was still not going to be holdered.

LanLord

So ya think there's post mint damage there?

PerryHall

<< <i>I know holed coins that have been plugged are now holdered (they weren't at the beginning of the program), but thought that a holed coin, or one with other large scale mutilation, was still not going to be holdered. >>



I imagine all grading services reserve the right to reject any coin for any reason. I certainly can't blame them for having this policy.

ThePennyLady

I tried to get NGC to holder my reeded edge 1864-L that I posted here last year just so it could be in an edgeview holder but they declined. That reeded edge coin is now at PCGS but I haven't heard one way or the other whether they will even put it in a genuine holder.

By the way HoledandCreative, those are some really need pie cutters too!

Quarternut

Here are a few pictures of the whole tool so that everyone can see how it was used...

1845 Large Cent


1840's Large Cent


1840's Campaign Token


QN

ThePennyLady

Thanks for posting the entire tool - I was hoping someone would!!

relicsncoins

Here is the use I was speaking of. The rowel on this spur was made from a large cent.

Billet7

Where in the world do you guys find this stuff??? Seriously awesome!

lathmach

I've never heard them call pie cutters.
They were pie crimpers, as the pictures by Quarternut shows.

Ray

ThePennyLady

<< <i>I've never heard them call pie cutters.
They were pie crimpers, as the pictures by Quarternut shows.

Ray >>



Yes, you're right, it is technically more accurate that it was actually used to crimp the pie, but the only name(s) I've heard them called is "pie cutter" or "pastry cutter." Perhaps the word "crimper" wasn't used so much back then.

mepot

I have a couple of those also,thought I was the only one who thought they were cool.

ThePennyLady

<< <i>I have a couple of those also,thought I was the only one who thought they were cool.



>>



Is the first one you posted here in a certified holder?

mepot

Charmy,its just in an air-tite holder.

Newmismatist

I mentioned this to a large cent dealer after I sold it to Charmy, and he mentioned that this could also be a homemade "gear" - it has some pretty significant "teeth" that would work as gear teeth.

A really cool piece - and something that a "Penny Lady" should certainly have!

keepdachange

cool

BigE

Why get them into a holder? To have an "everymans pie crimping set" in the registry?----------------------------------------BigE

HoledandCreative

Very cool tools, QN.

PerryHall

PMD---Post Mintage Damage

ThePennyLady

<< <i>Why get them into a holder? To have an "everymans pie crimping set" in the registry?----------------------------------------BigE >>



I don't think that having a registry set is the ONLY reason people like certified coins. For me, my personal collection coins are certified and I keep them in plastic certified coin pages in notebooks so it just makes it easier for storage and display purposes to have even all my coins in certified holders.

lordmarcovan

<< <i> >>



Funny, it never dawned on me that they could have also been used as spur rowels. But it makes sense. Some seem afwfully sharp for pie crust tools.

BillyKingsley

Charmy, this may be the only time in history I have a better condition example in my collection then you do...LOL! (Mine has not been modified, but is worn and damaged...kind of bent; hard to explain)

Paradisefound

@ThePennyLady the images of your tiny silver tea kettles are still fresh in my mind and the cookie cutter is adorable!

ThePennyLady

Thank you Paradise, you're always so kind!

Coinrunner, Althought I focus on penny pie cutter/pastry crimpers and they are definitely more prevalent than higher denominations for practiality and economic purposes, I haven't come across many in other denominations so yours is probably pretty scarce. The price is hard to say, I would guess yours is worth in the range of $200-$300. But the value of these unusual types of numismatics usually depends on whether there are a lot of other folks who are hunting for them as well. Hope this helps.

ricko

@Coinrunner1.... Welcome aboard and that is a nice item..... unique in that it is not the typical cent used. Cheers, RickO

Dave99B

Very COOL. I've only seen a few.

I'd love to see a Chain Cent version!!! (actually, I really wouldn't)

Dave

djm

@ThePennyLady

This thread is nine years old, so the questions did you use your pie cutter to cut and crimp a pie crust and did it work?

Zoins

Great coins here! I'm a huge fan of these and it's amazing to think about how people lived in the past.

Do we know if people made these at home themselves or were the stores making and selling these?

Since these were done intentionally, I wonder if PCGS could straight grade them at some point as a "pie cutter" coin, similar to "chop mark" coins.