Can anyone tell me what I have here & any history behind it? Thanks!

DBSTrader2

BillDugan1959

Probably some kind of reproduction of something something Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain (Aragon and Castille).

Of course, originals do exist, but copies are very common. I have at least two copies myself.

Does your 'coin' have a seamed edge? Like there were two halves made separately and then placed together? IIRC, that is pretty common with these reproductions.

There have been other threads here on this site covering this item.

You can probably go to google too and dig up something on this.

BillDugan1959

Google 'Ferdinand and Isabella silver coin copy'.

Should bring up lots of photos and information.

DBSTrader2

Thanks! I wouldn't have had a clue as even where to start trying to look this one up. Or figure out what the various letters/words are.

As far as the edge goes, this coin is EXTREMELY thin - - not much thicker than a sturdy credit card - - and the edge smooth to the touch.

Where would I find any date, if it exists?

BillDugan1959

I believe that this (if real) is somewhat before European coins began to sport any dates/years that we would immediately recognize.

Or perhaps concurrent with the first clearly dated European coins, but well before those kind of dates became commonly used.

291fifth

It looks to have been cast. Probably a reproduction.

DBSTrader2

I looked at multiple webpages as recommended, and, while there seems to be a basic similarity in the obverse/reverse designs to the Ferdinand & Isabella coins, the one I have seems to have gibberish in the legends vs the legitimate characters I'm seeing on-line. Plus, the coin appears to be copper vs silver. So I would tend to agree with everyone that it would seem to be a reproduction/fake vs anything of value.

If anyone thinks otherwise, or could point me to a legitimate example they were trying to imitate (and what denomination it's supposed to be), I'd appreciate it. It would at least be a fun learning experience for me, considering it would appear to be referring to around the time of Columbus.

Thanks again!

topstuf

Oak Island?

DBSTrader2

Good one!!

ajaan

The history:
A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away, a minter decided to make coins that would fool some people on a distance insignificant planet orbiting a certain yellow star. He sent a supply ship to that planet and by chance it landed in an area known as East Asia. From there these coins spread far and wide, especially to coin collectors and tourists.

DBSTrader2

I like topstuf's explanation better..................

Sapyx

These brass replica "Reyes Catolicos" coins, with the gibberish garbled legends, have cropped up quite frequently on the coin forums; there are enough of them that I would assume that they were mass-produced in considerable quantity. I don't recall if anyone's come up with a definitive origin story for them, but they're the sort of thing that might have been given away in a cereal box, or as one of those Readers Digest book promotion gimmicks.

yosclimber

@DBSTrader2,

If anyone thinks otherwise, or could point me to a legitimate example they were trying to imitate (and what denomination it's supposed to be), I'd appreciate it.

This image is fairly similar to your upper photo.
It is a 1 Real, 1482, from the Kingdom of Aragon (in Spain).
The other side has portraits of Ferdinand and Isabella.
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces114974.html