How was creating a hole in a coin done?

Zoins

I've been seeing many cool holed coins on the forums lately and was wondering what are the common methods to put a hole in, back in the day?

Here's one I ran across that I thought was neat:

RockyMtnProspector

Some used nails like the old square ones.

lordmarcovan

Drills, nails (square and round), awl-like tools, even knives. You name it.



Oftentimes the shape of the hole gives the clue.

ricko

Yep... they used the tools at hand.... many cents were nailed to the front door as a good luck symbol (money entering).... I have heard of larger denomination coins used by the more well-to-do.... Cheers, RickO

JRocco

Originally posted by: Zoins

I've been seeing many cool holed coins on the forums lately and was wondering what are the common methods to put a hole in, back in the day?



Here's one I ran across that I thought was neat:

That is a humdinger

Cool.

Lakesammman

asheland

Lakes, that looks like acid eaten through!

TwoSides2aCoin

One of our members used a 5.56 millimeter round & an M-16, if I'm not mistaken. I suppose a 45 caliber might disintegrate the same coin.

MadMarty

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin
One of our members used a 5.56 millimeter round & an M-16, if I'm not mistaken. I suppose a 45 caliber might disintegrate the same coin.

Mr. Paseo did that to one of my Weenie Dollars and NGC slabbed it!! I'll post a pic later (thought I had one on the server but must have deleted it).

AUandAG

Shooting small coins would be really hard to do. I used to use Kennedy halves to shoot

at back in the 60's. I used a .22 rifle and a .22 revolver. Never got a bullet to go through

one. Huge dent but no hole. They are sure hard to find afterward as well as the bullet

sends them flying!



bob



I suspect awls and nails.

grip

Anyone know the story why they nailed them to the old ships?

Tassa

Originally posted by: AUandAG

Shooting small coins would be really hard to do. I used to use Kennedy halves to shoot

at back in the 60's. I used a .22 rifle and a .22 revolver. Never got a bullet to go through

one. Huge dent but no hole. They are sure hard to find afterward as well as the bullet

sends them flying!



bob



I suspect awls and nails.

I don't care what your political affiliation is, that just doesn't seem right.

Tassa

Originally posted by: AUandAG

Shooting small coins would be really hard to do. I used to use Kennedy halves to shoot

at back in the 60's. I used a .22 rifle and a .22 revolver. Never got a bullet to go through

one. Huge dent but no hole. They are sure hard to find afterward as well as the bullet

sends them flying!



bob



I suspect awls and nails.

Maybe they all went back and to the left.

ambro51

I have colonials and Feuchtwanger pieces with naturally occurring pre strike planchet conditions that result in a hole.

WillieBoyd2

Do I have to show you how it's done?

MrHalfDime

Originally posted by: grip

Anyone know the story why they nailed them to the old ships?

There were at least two reasons why they 'nailed' old coins to old ships. Apparently, old coins were placed under the base of a mast on sailing ships whenever the original or a replacement mast was set, presumably for good luck. Also, old copper coins (mostly large cents) were used as washers under the heads of nails when planks were nailed to the hulls of wooden ships, to prevent the nail heads from pulling through as the wood swelled. A few wooden casks of old, well worn copper cents were found here in Maine several years ago, on a site that was once a ship builder's yard. It seems that old coins and ships have a long common history.



I'm a bit puzzled by the OP's question "How was creating a hole in a coin done?", as if to imply that drills were not available in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. Hand drills and drill bits were very much available, and were in wide use in industry, manufacturing, and metal work. Drills were needed to manufacture the very coin presses used to mint the coins in the first place. Even some very small diameter drills were in use in watch making. Jewelers, silver smiths and many others all used hand drills, so their availability was widespread.

johnny9434

Originally posted by: Lakesammman

neat

AUandAG

Actually my choice of Kennedy halves was intentional. I did not want to shoot

a silver dollar (I was in Carson City and they were still in circulation in '64) and

I thought Kennedy was an ass the way he treated Jackie. I had no respect for

him then or now. Besides it was just a good size to hone my skills with the

revolver and quick drawing.....don't all boys practice this?



bob

WillieBoyd2

Seems like a waste of good money, whatever one's political beliefs.

crazyhounddog

Originally posted by: Lakesammman

Torch