Post your inexpensive but interesting items

Zoins

To go with the appreciate inexpensive but interesting items thread, post your reasonably priced but interesting items.

Here's one of my favorite recent pickups. I just love looking at it.

Sonorandesertrat

ca. 1806 American-used balance scale, but probably manufactured in England:

What makes this scale special are two pieces of paper glued in it, one a notice from some newspaper titled AMERICAN STANDARD OF MONEY, the other a note stuck inside the base of the box that reads "1/2 oz. 9 1/2 pwts." The newspaper notice reads, in full, "AMERICAN STANDARD OF MONEY, approved by act of Congress, April, 10, 1806 ... Gold ... Eagle, valued at ten dollars, must weigh 11 pennyweights, 6 grains ... Half Eagle, at five dollars, 5 do, 15 do. Quarter Eagle, at two dollars and fifty cents, 2 do 19 1/2 do. -- Silver ... Dollar must weigh 17 pennywts., 7 grs. Half dollar 8 do. 16 do. Quarter Dollars, 4 do, 4 do. French Crown at 1 doll. and ten cents. 18 do 17 do." With the reference to French ecus as the only non-US Mint coins noted, my best guess is that this piece comes from somewhere where French ecus made up a sizable part of the circulating medium, meaning St. Louis, New Orleans, or somewhere else in the lower Mississippi Valley. The manuscript note is an odd conversion, as a half ounce is actually 10 pennyweights, which begs the question of why this merchant was shaving off a half grain from every half ounce.

BLUEJAYWAY

@Zoins said:
To go with the appreciate inexpensive but interesting items thread, post your reasonably priced but interesting items.

Here's one of my favorite recent pickups. I just love looking at it.

What a fantastic piece. It's been quite sometime since I've seen a lamination so impressive and one that "knocks you out". And to have the flap still intact with the coin. You could almost label it:a flip over double date (one in reverse). Excellent pick up. As this is my favorite type of error, I will keep this photo on file for future viewing.

Sonorandesertrat

Most pie cutters/spur roundels were made from large cents rather than silver coins. This one cost me $43

MedalCollector

This embossing seal was cut by William Wagner of York, Pennsylvania, likely sometime between 1840 and 1860, when he died. Not only was he an engraver, but also a druggist, banker, painter, and photographer. Among his work, are a few bank notes and maps. Interesting to me is the seal's central feature - a replication of the eagle portrayed on the seated coinage of the era.

Interesting, but relatively inexpensive at $50 or so, IIRC.

jwitten

This was relatively inexpensive:

ricko

@jwitten...That is unique.... I have never seen one like that before....Cheers, RickO

BillJones

I bought this piece more than a quarter century ago for $25. I can't imagine that it sells for any more than $100 today, probably less. This piece provides with a slice of 19th century life for the Irish immigrants.

Starting in 1845 a blight hit the potato crop in Ireland. Life had never been easy for the Irish. Oppressive British laws prevented the Irish from owning property, working in the professions, voting, holding public office or even owning a horse that had a value greater than 5 pounds. When the blight hit, it became impossible for them to get enough food to eat, and there was considerable starvation. That started a second mass migration to North America, which had started in the early 1825.

The usual plan was to scrape together enough money for one young male family member to come to America. The point of departure was Liverpool, England which was the second largest city in England, next to London, and the principle shipping point for the British Empire.

The conditions on the ships that brought these immigrants to American were awful. They were dirty, rat and louse infested and extremely cramped. Passengers often had to sleep on the floor, on their side on a cramped cabin with as many as six or more other people. The passage took five weeks or more. Ship provided food was a course concoction of wheat, barley, rye, molasses and peas. Some passengers brought their own food, but the water was often contaminated. Cholera and "ship fever" were often a deadly result of these deplorable conditions.

Once the immigrants reached America, things were only a little better. Most of them had very little money, little of no education and finding work was not easy. The phrase, "Help wanted, no dogs or Irishmen need apply," was not a work of fiction. Yet many of these Irish immigrants carved out a living and made enough to money home so that their relatives could survive and perhaps following them to America. A few, like the Kennedys, were rose to wealth and power.

This piece, which was issued in Chicago, Illinois, advertises a services to provide passage certificates from Liverpool to Chicago and bank drafts for 1 £ or more on the Royal Bank of Ireland. It is remarkable that Irish immigrants were able to send almost a million pounds sterling home to Ireland annually in drafts ranging from 1 to 10 £.

This piece which is listed as Fuld IL 150 AS-1a, is rated as an R-5 (76 to 200 known). I have not seen a great many of these tokens at the major shows, but it is an obtainable variety that has an interesting history that is just below the surface.

Nysoto

I have collected many local medals that are extremely rare for under $10.

Through my research of the early US Mint, I also collect Mint, Senate, and House reports of that time period. One of my favorites is a congressional report from the Committee on Gold and Silver Coins, 133 pages, that involves the details of the change of US gold coins in 1834. I got in the "old" days of eBay around the year 2000 for about $15, as I remember. Here are a couple of pages, the table shows a summary of deposits, wastage, and gain on copper (seigniorage). Good stuff.

sparky64

So called "Magicians" coin.
Very inexpensive auction pick-up.
Nicely done as well.

Twobitcollector

1876 cent...what was it used for

ChangeInHistory

Paid $2

bolivarshagnasty

This one was less than a hundred. To my eyes, it looks like Lady Liberty is walking in the rain. One of my favorites.

jtlee321

@Zoins said:
To go with the appreciate inexpensive but interesting items thread, post your reasonably priced but interesting items.

Here's one of my favorite recent pickups. I just love looking at it.

They really need to add a "WOW" button below some posts. That is a spectacular lamination. I would have been all over that like bee's on honey.

Traz

Well it's interesting.

https://coins.ha.com/itm/s.s.-central-america-gold-bars/a-california-gold-rush-history/a/1136-2363.s

abcde12345

Two of the above coins deserve to be graded. The others I'd possibly save on sending them in unless you are doing a bulk handled lot.

ricko

@jtlee321.... truly unique lamination.... Cheers, RickO

jtlee321

@ricko said:
@jtlee321.... truly unique lamination.... Cheers, RickO

I wish it was mine!!! I'd love to have that one.

topstuf

abcde12345

Elmars glue ruins so many stamps. Shame.

U1chicago

Much cheaper than a Compugrade slab

Manorcourtman

mercurydimeguy

I won this tonight... not sure if it qualifies for inexpensive ($285) but it IS interesting...

1869 The Bank of Nevada County, Nevada City California Seal. Uniface Brass. 57 mm x 12.5 mm. Essentially As Made.
Inscribed (in retrograde) THE BANK OF NEVADA COUNTY / INCORPORATED / SEPTEMBER / 18TH 1869. Used in a hand press to emboss the bank's seal on documents. A rare reminder of a long defunct bank in California's Gold Country.

Musky1011

Barndog

@Twobitcollector said:
1876 cent...what was it used for

cheap contemporary coin chosen to be used as a makeshift washer, perhaps.

abcde12345

1876 is a rare date. Looks like it was custom fit for a turban wheel.

Unknown

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WillieBoyd2

Lava Coin

Italian coin pressed into a piece of volcanic lava and sold as a souvenir, probably to an American (WW2) serviceman.

Given to me by a friend after I helped her sell a small coin collection.

asheland

I got this one recently and found the history behind it to be very interesting. It was only $5

Meltdown

Half my collection fits in this category!
Here's a couple recent purchases just for fun...

JBK

@WillieBoyd2 said:

Lava Coin

Italian coin pressed into a piece of volcanic lava and sold as a souvenir, probably to an American (WW2) serviceman.

Given to me by a friend after I helped her sell a small coin collection.

Very likely from the 1944 eruption of Mt Vesuvius. There were a lot of souvenirs created - this is a great one.

clarkbar04

I like SLQs and I hear this guy did too.

Sonorandesertrat

1883 Liberty nickel, reeded edge, remnants of the gold plating are evident

CyndieChildress

@silverpop said:
well not too sure if this is interesting but it's a Apothecaries weight that i bought some years ago

I have been wondering what that is. I have one as well

CopperCollector

Picked up cheap on ebay last month .... what would you say this is?

MedalCollector

@CopperCollector said:
Picked up cheap on ebay last month .... what would you say this is?

Struck through rotated, late-stage die cap! Cool!

KollectorKing

carabonnair

Hard Times token: Webster Credit Currency = smooth sailing
Van Buren Metallic Currency = shipwreck
This was free from Bruce Wonder at the last show (well, thrown in because I bought some other coins)

davewesen

@jwitten said:
This was relatively inexpensive:

Just saw this thread from a recent one.
I am scratching my head on this - is it a buck and a quarter? and did it have a use/purpose?

Type2

Paradisefound

@Type2 said:

coinsarefun

This is a recent pick up. I also started a thread on the tokens. Very inexpensive
but very intriguing and great history behind it. There are as many as 20 different die varieties
.
.

Bullsitter

Bringin' the wood...

morgansforever

Yacorie1

I'm pumped to see the open book lamintation error because I have this lamintation error that I've thought about peeling back just to see what it looks like underneath. I assume that it would be the same as the one above - so thank you for posting that. Definitely a cool error coin

bobsr

Hey 2Bitcollector
That 1876 penny in all probability did service work as a button. Usually in that period, a leather loop was put thru the center hole and a knot tied, the loop was put thru a slit in the deerskin jacket and looped over a piece of bone or wood on the other side. Served 2 purposes, 1 to hold the vest or jacket together and 2 to keep money secure as pockets weren't usually in vogue then. Additionally , Indians used small coins on the neck and shoulder areas of their clothing as jewelry whereas holes in the rim areas were used as adornments for necklaces and bracelets.
Bob Sr CEO Fieldtechs

OnWithTheHunt

Interesting to me anyway. Tapered planchet, 28 cents in bulk bag of Buffalos

BillDugan1959

Very much on the low-end of the numismatic spectrum, but these (Bermuda) have always pleased me:

I have two of the J.H.Cline elongated quarters. I offered to buy the first one, but the great Man gave it to me, gratis!

Aspie_Rocco

This was a fun and inexpensive buy around $10, for a 181 year old piece of history.

metalmeister

1960 roll hoard from estate @ F.V.

privatecoin

My franklin suffering from the measles.